The Washington times., 1923-06-21
ACTION DUE
At FALL
TERM
Judge Brent Will Put Epidemic
in Hands of Committee, I'M
less Conditions improve.
By JOsEPHINE TIGHE.


For eighteen months, Fairfax
county, Va, has suffered an
epidemic of divorce. During 1922
there were forty-three cases, an
unheard of record for the
domestically healthy Common
wealth, dating back to the very
birth of the nation. From Jan
uary 1, until May 16, 1923, twenty
three cases we're written upon the
chancery book.
Bar Officials Protest.
The bar association OF the county
frequently has discussed the matter.
County Clerk Richardson and
Deputy Clerk Holbrook entered
each new suit with a determination
to find out what caused the cpl.
demic and how to prevent its
spread.
Judge Brent, of the circuit court
of Virginia, took cognizance of con-
ditions, with the result that he
called the grand 5urynen to his
aid
After deliberation, the grand jury
decided to postpone action until the
September term and If the plague
of the American home has not died
down to an appreciate extent in
Fairfax by that time, a committee
similar to that recently appointed
by Judge Brent at the behest Of
the Arlington county grand jury
will be called into action. In two
thirds of the cases presented, the
plaintiff is represented by LAWYERS
outside the precincts Of Fairfax.
w. Ia
more than ten miles from the Dis
trict of Columbia, while Arlington
Court House, itself, lies but two and
one-half miles from Washington.
There is but one ground for abso-
lutte divorce in Washington. A
limited divorce only may be granted
when a simple charge of abandon
ment is made by the plaintiff. In
the State of Virginia one years
legal residence there may be fol-
lowed by suit for absolute divorce
where there has been desertion for
a period of three years.
Actions by War Brides.
Many war-brides residing in the
District married in haste and re-
pented at quite some leisure. Dozens
of the husbands went overeas and
came from overseas, but failed to
return to home or war-brides The
Misrepresentation clause held
good because that length of time
had elapsed since the war mar
riages were performed. the war was
over, and the husbands-gone.
Appealed to time and time again
the established lawyers of Fairfax
and Arlington absolutely refused to
handle either the wartime suits or
other suits where doubt existed as
to required legal residence in the
State of Virginia.
Yet the number of divorce suits
piled up. At the rate they were
being filed up to May, 1923, Fairfax
county would have over 100 by the
end Of the present year. A couple
OF dozen had constituted the number
filed in that quiet, law-abiding,
home-loving community previously
OF the forty-three cases filed in
Fairfax county in 1922 in only a
dozen Of them did a lawyer connected
with the bar of that county appear as
plaintiffs attorney. Richard Wash.
ington, the Alexandria lawyer, han
died ten Of the cases; Davis Bud
wesky. six, and the rest were divided
principally between Crandal Mackey,
Washington; Smith & Woolls, Alex.
1IiNA Ao' AIOlIidS q " els, alexandra
Morris Wampler, Washington, and
Thomas Watson and Edmund Hil.,
colored lawyers, of Washington.
More Cases on Docket.
Fairfax divorce cases docketed I'D
to May IS, 1923, and printed below
show Richard Washington still in
the lead with six suits. Moncure.
Davis & Budwesky are credited with
five of the twenty-thres requests
for divorce. Judge Moncure after
resigning from the Alexandria bench
became the leading member of the
firm of Moncure. Davis and Bud
wesky.
Three days after Judge Brent
called the attention of the Fairfa x
Continued on Page 26.)