Evening star., 1922-01-28

CONTINUED from First PaEe3
the decree under these circumstances
the attorney representing tho plain
tiff could take the same record to the
supreme court OF appeals OF the state
and have the action OF the lower court
reversed and could readily obtain
from the higher court the desired de-
cree"
welcomes Probe By Bar.
Judge Moncure said he is happy to
know that the bar association In Al
exandria Is to investigate conditions
and he is confident that II any evils
exist in the divorce system they Will
be discovered and will be corrected
promptly. He has the highest regard
for the members Of the committee OF
the bar association. which will meet
at I o'clock this afternoon to decide
upon some definite plan for its In
vestiGation.
Laws Not Declared Faulty.
The divorce laws which are being
attacked are not in error, accord
ing to those who are engaged in
bringing to light the so-called evils.
The contention is not in reference to
the law itself. but regarding the ir-
regularities practiced by certain
members of the bar whose principal
business is obtaining divorces.
In a few words, the divorces are
granted in Alexandria on grounds OF
adultery or desertion, besides techni-
cal reasons such as criminal causes.
etc, and an applicant for a divorce
n RfAte
least one year prior TO- the applica-
tion. 1t is in this connection that the
principal evil is pSaoticed, accordlnR
to those fighting the conditions. The
methods. according to them, used IN
evading this REQUIREMENT OF years
in some cases being not only irregu-
lar but illegal. 1t Is .contended,
further, that persons have been
known to swear to affidavits that the
applicants for divorce have been DOM
iciled in their home for the required
such was not the case. '
Another Alleged Evil.
Another phase Of the evil. as point
cd out Is the manner in which mo-
tice is given to the defendant in the
case. regarding the application of a
suit. Assuming that the time limit
for applications had been complied
with, 1t Is necessary before the case
Is called to the calendar to adver-
tise the application in the local pa
per once every week for four weeks.
the clerk of the court then Is re-
quired to mail a. notice OF the appli-
cation to the defendant at his or her
'last known address" 1t Is this lat
ter requirement which is alleged to
have been abused. inasmuch as ap-
known to have furnished the clerk
of the court with fictitious addresses
and the notice Of the application nat
urally fails to reach the defendant
although it has been sent by regis
tered mail. BY this time. the appli-
quirements and his case is ready for
the calendar of the court, and it is
only a matter of procedure before
he obtains his decree, 1t Is declared
Sentinent Favors Change Of Laws.
Some residents. of Alexandria who
are displeased with the notoriety be.
Ing given the evil and who are con.
vinced that there should be SONS
change in the procedure are anxious
for a change either in the state Law
or else the federal laws, which
would make divorces uniform
throughout the country. However
there are many members of the ba,
who are Of opinion that the law IL
all right, but the trouble lies with
the attitude taken by court officers
regarding the domicile requirements
and the Introduction of evidence t.
prove the charges contained in the
application.
ber of the local bar, the records show
that there have been granted In Alex.
andria courts 5s5 divorces during the
period between October. 1870. and Oc.
tober, 1921. In his opinion, there
should not be more than sixty OIL
ssventy-five such cases In a city OF
the size Of Alexandria. He has nc
hssttancy in charging there have been
what he terms irregularities and mis-
representations regarding the domi.
ciis requirements and he continues
that when those guilty Of these ir-
rsSularities have been punished and
the court takes stand that 1t will
not tolerate such practices, then, and
Aniv then. viii tha all0Rad Avi1 ha