The New York herald., 1922-01-05
Abolish County Courts.

One OF the most important revisions
affecting New York city Is the sugges-
ton that the County Courts of Kings.
Queens. Bronx and Richmond be abol-
ished and the jurisdiction of the Court
of General Sessions be extended over
the entire greater city.
This reform is designed to create a
greater uniformity In the judicial sys.
tenn and to centralize the jurisdiction
over criminal cases throughout the five
horoughs. /.
Under this plan the City Court Of
New York City will also be extended
to function throughout the five bor-
oughs. and its Jurisdiction increased to
take in civil cases UP to $4,000.
Instead OF Ave separate courts Of
criminal jurisdiction in the city OF New
York, under the proposed plan there
would be one court divided into two
divisions, one covering Manhattan and
The Bronx and the other the counties
of Kings. Queens and Richmond. all to
be known under the title of the Court
of General Sessions of the City Of New
York.
The plan is not to go into effect until
the first day of January two years aftef
the adoption Of the amendment. In order
that the courts may be given ample
time to resdjust their affairs. In sum-
ming UP the effects of this consolida-
tion the convention expresses this
opinion
"It is believed that the extension Of
jurisdiction of these two tribunals to
cover the whole of the greater city Of
New York and the abolition of the
County Courts within the city will be
a distinct reform and tend to the better
and more effective. satisfactory and eco
nomical administration Of justice in
both civil and criminal cases"
impeachment Of Judges.
The section provides that the County
Court Judges shall continue to serve
as Judges Of General Sessions after the
transfer until their terms have expired.
In the event that the jurisdiction OF the
City Court Is extended, the amendment
provides for nine Justices In New York
county. two in The Bronx and Kings
and one each in Queens and Richmond,
all holding office for ten years.
The question of the removal or i'm
parchment Of Judges is reviewed in the
report. and the only change in the
existing law recommended by the con-
vention Is that the Legislature be
granted the power to convene itself for
this purpose instead of being compelled
might be occasions, the report points
out when public interest would demand
action by the Legislature independent OF
the Governor, "and II seems plainly
fitting that the existing lack OF power
should be rectifled."
The ratio of Justices OF the Supreme
Court In proportion to population Is
recommended to be slightly Increased.
which would result In a slight decrease
in the number OF Supreme Court Justices
throughout the State. The existing Ju-
dicial Districts and Appellate Divisions
are continued. Likewise the power Of the
Governor to designate one or more nom
resident Justices to sit In the various
Appellate Divisions remains in force.
One important change in this section
confers upon the Appellate Division the
power to assign n Justice or Justices
to preside at the Extraordinary Term OF
the Supreme Court. a power which now
rests with the Governor. The terms OF
Surrogatcs In Kings. Queens and Bronx
counties are increased to fourteen years