Evening star., 1922-02-10
1CHANGE IN DIVORCE
LAW IS DOUBTFUL
Alexandria Lawyers Divided
1 on Chances. of Assembly
: Acting at This Session.

HCtIiIy dl HIS SCSSIUii.
From a StaT Correspondent.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, February 10
There apepars to be an equal divi-
sion of opinion existing here among
lawyers and others regarding the
chances of some change being made
In the divorce laws of Virginia dur
ing the present session of the gen.
eral assembly now being held in
Richmond.
While the great majority of the
local attorneys are of the opinion
that the present code is indefinite.
especially so in defining the domicile
requirements of a. divorces applicant
and that it should be clarified and
strengthened, not more than half of
these men are optimistic regarding
the outcome of the divorce bills now
pending in the assembly.
Others Think Action Certain.
On the other hand, there are
I those attorneys and other persons.
some of whom are in d position to
form. conclusions. who have no hesi-
fancy in predicting that some change
will be made in the divorce code
during the present session. They con-
tend that the sentiment in the state
is such that the assembly would not
dare ignore the demands for some
remedial legislation.
Whether or not the Hall bill. or
the one introduced several days ago
by Charles Henry Smith OF this city.
or some other bill yet to be drafted,
will be the one. eventually enacted,
no one could venture guess.
..As a matter of fact, we are not
particular which bill is passed." said
one member of the local bar associa-
tion today, just SO some change is
made which will strengthen the
present law and remove what ap-
pears to be an existing evil in con-
nection with the divorce practice OF
this state. The records are Conyinc-
ing proof. at least to US In Alexandria,
that the increase in the divorce situa-
tion has been too great, and that 1t
must be due to loopholes found
readily in the present law.
Says Law Needs Teeth.
"In many respects the law is salts
factory and compares favorably with
similar ones throughout the United
States. But with few changes and
the addition of a tooth here and
there the Virginia law will be
satisfa ctory."
one prominent local attorney, who
spends considerable time at the state
capitol at Richmond, does not hold
out this hopeful view. Since dis
cussing the divorce matter at the
capitol, he stated today that he is
forced to believe that the prospects
Of change during this session are
not specially bright.
This excitement over the divorce
practice is confined principally to
Alexandria and the immediate vicin-
ity," he said, "and in my opinion dele
gates from, the other sections of the
state have not yet been sufficiently
Impressed with the necessity at thrs
,ime for any immediate change In
nave changed following the state
ments made yesterday at the state
capitol on the Hall and Smith bills.
when provisions were severely scored
and the demands for a change were
emphatic and determined"
Report Not Completed.
A subcommittee of three. of which
James Randall Cation is chairman. ap-
pointed by the investigating commit
tee of the local bar association, which
for two weeks has been making a
tabulation of every divorce suit in the
files of the corporation court from
May /, 1920, to the present day, Will
not be ready to make a complete re-
port tomorrow, as was stated several
days ago.
The subcommittee expected to finish
this tabulation in time to report when
the full committee meets tomorrow,
but the time required on each case
that the final report will not be made
until Saturday. February Is.
Favor More Stringent Law.
Budweskey & Davis. whose law firm
has come into no little prominence dur
ing the agitation over the increase IN
divorce business here, and who, accord
ing to their own figures, have done
more divorce business during the past
year than any other individual attorney
or firm in the city, believe the divorce
law of the state should be more specific
and more stringent.
Discussing the situation today in their
Office, they stated that there should be
a legal representative OF the common
wealth appointed to hear the evidence
and examine witnesses in every uncon-
tested divorce suit Such representa-
tive or proctor, as he Is termed In the
bill introduced by Delegate Smith in the
state legislature, could readily deter
mine whether or not any irregularity,
collusiop or fraud existed, after exam
lining the evidence and questioning the
witnesses, according to these two at
torneyS
They also think that lawyers should
be required to make some reasonable
filing them and otherwise to determine
to some extent whether the. applicants
have complied with the legal require
ments regarding residence within the
state.
Mr.. Budweskey, in explaining his
firms connection with the divorce
situation. said: 1T is true that We
have handled more divorce business
than any other one firm in the city,
which fact hardly warrants the use
Of the term divorce kings Because
we have been mentioned SO fire.
quently by those making charges
against the divorce practice here. it
may be appropriate at this time to
make known the fact that our d.
vorce business represents only a part
of our total practice.
; 81 deny most emphatically any in
timation that our firm has engaged
in a practice that has been other
[, than regular. We were glad to see
the Bar Association appoint a COM
mittee to investigate conditions, to
determine If there is fraudulent prac-
tice here, and we are doing every
thing within our power to aid that
committee in it's investigation. I am
sure that If an evil is found to exist
1t will be corrected. and any person
found guilty Of irregular or illegal
acts in connection with the obtain
ing of divorces will be punished"