The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-12-12
DELAY OF LAW
is MINlMIZED
IN NO. DAKOTA
Justice Bronson, Reviewing
Past Six Years, Says State
Is at Top of List
MANY CASES DECIDED
Unique Calendar of This State
Keeps Court. Steadily
Giving Decisions

North Dakota stands as practical
example that interminablc delays
can be avoided in appellate courts,
Chief Justice Harrison A. Bronson of
the supreme court told Il local bar
association, in reviewing the work
of the court, from which he soon will
retire after six years as justice.
North Dakota, he said, outranks any
state in the country or federal courts
in success in reducing court delays.
The supreme court has been able
to handle vast volume of busine SIS
and yet keep its calendar clear as Il
result of it's rules and regulations,
duties imposed upon lawyers, laws
regulating appeals and hard work by
his associates, Justice Bronson said.
The supreme court of North Dako-
Ia is unique, he said, in that it has
ten calendars Il year, whereas most
appellate courts have but two. The
supreme court thus must keep stead
lily grinding out decisions and remain
on duty almost constantly except for
brief period in the summer, he said.
In North Dakota every case that is
appealed Immediately goes on the
calendar for an early hearing, and
lawyers do not have the option Of
setting a case over until later cal
endar, Justice Bronson said. 1t is
provided, too, that as soon as an ap-
peal is filed in lower court the re-
cords, accompanied by briefs, must
be certified to the supreme court.
Must Work Steadily
With the court hearing arguments
every month of the year but two, re-
naming steadily at work grinding
out cases. and requiring lawyers to
do the research work necessary, the
supreme court Of North Dakota has
been able to dispose of virtually all
Of / ,071 cases in six years, Justice
Bronson said. The court has actually
disposed Of l,Ol2 cases in month
less than six years, and expects to
have Il clean calendar on January 6
when Il new justice comes to the
court, he said.
To dispose of the cases before it
in the last six years since Justice
Bronson has been on the bench, the
court has had to handle 10 eases
each year, or decide a case almost
each two days. Decision of case
involves arguments, reading Of
briefs, testimony, conferences, witt
ng Of opinions and disposition of
cases on rehearing.
The supreme court has not made Il
practice of delegating one member Of
the five to decide cases, Justice Bron-
son said. All judges have participant
ed in conferences. Because of the
volume of work, he said, the lawyers
Of the state have been charged with
the duty of doing most Of the re-
search work necessary in the consid-
Grafton of a. case, and they have re-
sponded in excellent manner.
Many Affirmed
Statistics show that GO percent of
the cases appealed in the last six
years have been affirmed; 20 percent
have been reversed; five percent of
the decisions of lower courts modi-
fled, three percent dismissed and the
balance were original and certified
question cases.
In 1919, the court had PCS cases
before it, and it got up with its cal
cndar, and since that time has aver
aged about 165 to ITO cases a year.
In the decision Of 1912 cases, there
have been 81 dissenting opinions and
81 cases have been decided by three
to two vote Of the court.
In connection with the statistics,
Justice Bronson, said, it should be
considered that LOCI new laws have