Norwich bulletin., 1921-01-12
LAWYERS PROPOSE BILLS
 TO AID POOR LITIGANTS

Three bills to assist the poor in litiga- ton are to be sponsored before the pres ent session of the legislature by the Con necticut State Bar association. which he'd it's annual meeting and banquet in New Haven Monday. The bills were approved at the afternoon business meeting The banquet followed in the evening.
 The first of the three bills provides legal aid director yho may be consulted without charge by the poor regardless of size Of claim. He IS to be appointed by the superior court judges sin settlement by advice n'El conference is impossible the director is authorized to secure and pay for attorney to conduct the claim ants case. One clause reads:
 The said judge shall also prepare rules under which poor persons may be per mitted to prosecute and defend in civil actions in all the courts of this state. in- cluding courts of justice of the peace. without the payment of costs and fees and in which they may have the services witrout expense to them of an attorney at law"
 The second of the measure provides for the setting up of small claims courts where case may be settled without pleadings or the employment of law yers. These courts deal with claims up te | other inferior judge or justice of the peace. Sander and libel cases are ex- empted. The superior court judges are to make the rules. Such procedure Is not to be exclusive.
 The thir dbiu extends the act concern ing the public defender. He is to be ap- pointed in June by the superior court or common please courts, county. The judge shall make the rules He shall act as at | torney in superior or common pleas courts where persons charged with crime is not able to pay. He may act within the county for which he is appointed aS attorney for the defense for any such ac. cused persons, upon any original or pre- iiminary hearing before any court in thu state including city and town courts. ol before any committing magistrate. Ex penses shah be taxed and paid as otheI costs in criminal cases. The judge ma1 appoint, upon application of the publt defender an attorney to represent an! person charged with crime in any crfm inal court in such count wherever in thu opinion of such judge the ends of jus tice require such appointment. and in sucl cases the judge of the court where sucl person is tried shall tax and allow to tn
 attorney SO appointed an amount not ex ceeding s per diem for services in con
 ducting such defense. and also the costs
 Three chief justices of Connecticut sa
 behind the banquet board fianlSed b.
 other judges of high degree. Judge A
 Heaton Robertson. with reminisceuca. jes
 and reflection, presided over the affair
 the retiring chief justice. Samuel O. Pren
 tice, told of his 31 years on the benc , and of :he 40 judges with whom he ha
 been associated; the new chief justice
 George W. Wheeler. made the final s2eec in which he recalled the work Of law F yers in making successful the drai boards and urged improvements in tn , courts in the interests of the poor. th ! foreign-born and the immigrant.
 As ex-Chief Justice Prentice arose
 speak following the praise of Judge Rot
 ertson, the chairman. the company aro' , to greet him. He spoke of the usivers; courtesy he had met at the hands of tf bar and of his associates. reflected b 0 upon his emotions fin retirement. ar then recelled the great men of his yout :. at the bar and made observations upc the dead and living who had distini - uished Connecticut