Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-21
MEREDITH HANNA
On Increased Divorce Costs

THE cost of divorce action, which has
L steadily increased for the last twenty
years. took another jump recently when
the Judges fixed the compensation OF the
master in such cases at 500 and the LcGis-
lature increased slightly the fee for filing
divorce suits. although this action has nor
materially affected the number of divorce
actions brought in the courts. according 10
Meredith Hanna, Deputy Prothonotary.
1.-The original masters fee said Mr..
Hanna. when I was admitted to the har'
about twenty years ago, was SO. Since
that time it has been increased three times
each time in the sum of $50. First. II was
made $50. then $50 and now Sloo. Inc
last session of the State Legislature also
increased the cost of filing the libel. which
is the tcchnchal name for beginning suit,
from Sl.75 to S2.15.
Has Not Decreased Suits
81 do not think that the main reason for
the action of the Judges in increasing the
compensation OF the master In divorce SUITS
was to make divorces more expensive in
order to discourage the bringing OF such
suits.
make the compensation Of the master suf-
fcient to insure the greatest amount OF
care in the hearing of such suits ana to get
attorneys Of experience and aplilty 10 nct
as masters. In a divorce case the position
of master is one of great Importance and
responsiblli,y even though whatever action
he recommends and all the testimony in the
case Is reviewed by the Court before the
decision is given. But much remains IN
the hands Of the master. and for this reason
It was evidently deemed important 70 maze
his compensation worthy of his giving the
most serious attention to the case which
he hear, heard. .o -, ,no 1o,is,o,uro in ,ncroos.
ing the fee for beginning suit was evidently
for the same reason. The cost OF everything
tpl 40
here was deemed necessary. But the I'D
vance which the Legislature authorized was
too small to have any deterrent effect in the
filing of such suits.
."The number of suits filed in Philade-
nLia County annually shows n steady in.
crease from year to year. There has been
no alarming. increase in the number of
actions, nor has there. on the other hand
been any tendency in the opposite direction
New conditions of life brget new cond-
tions with regard to marriage and divorce,
and while the number relatively has GER
tainly not decreased, still. ! should say that
the divorce evil is today no more Of a
menace than it was, say. ten years ago. 1t
is true thnt more actions have been begun,
but then the population of the country has
very largely increased also.
but the costs which | have enumerated
are by no means the only ones in such a
lawsuit: in fact. they often represent only
n relatively small part OF the total cost.
There are often charges for advertising the
notices to the respondent, where personal
service of the papers cannot be obtained
and there is a final charge for the Pro-
thonotary's Office when the decree Is filed.
"All of these. of course. are outside of
tho attorneys fee and the other costs of a
trial or hearing. The attorneys fee is
usually regulated by what the client Is able
to nav. and, as in the case of many other
legal suits, it often does not begin to repay
the lawyer for his time and work.
II should say from my experience In the
office of the Prothonotary that the new scale
of fees does very little if anything to prevent
any one from obtaining a divorce If he or
she has good case and really wants to take
such action. The only effect that 1t could
have, ms ] see 1t. is that It would take q
little longer to get the money together.
No New Causes Given
The Legislature in its action gave no
new causes for beginning suits, nor did il
reduce the present number In any manner;
that portion of the law remains Just as il
was previously. PENNSYLVANIA has great
many more legal causes for divorce action
than ,,ome Of the other States, and for this
reason many persons from States where
the causes are fewer in number come here