The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-02-01

lnaction of the supreme court OF
Nebraska was stressed by W. L
Bowling, Madison, in an address tc
the Douglas County Bar association
in the Brandeis tea room yesterday
The court docket, he declared. is
falling more and more behind every
day.
"I have no criticism of the courts
to offer, but It Is time for some
modern Henry Ward Beecher to arise
and preach the gospel of the dignity
of labor said the speaker.
Compared with the work being
done by sister states who have j
smaller number Of supreme court
judges, Nebraska Is accomplishing
.. tss. Decisions are handed down al
less than half the speed of any neigh
Dor state
Iowa Sets Example
Iowa, with seven judges, supreme
court is even with its calendar
over il months period ending Oe-
tober, 1928, the Iowa judges read
prepared and published rulings on 500
csaes; Minnesota, with five Judges
and two commissioners, handled 44l
cases; North and South Dakota did
as well, and Nebraska handled only
242 cases."
In Kansas, Bowling declared, 1t Is
possible to obtain a decision from the
supreme court In five months. In
Nebraska 1t takes from four to five
years.
Il am told that In our supreme
court our youngest and most able
men may only read and prepare al
equal number Of cases to those
handled by the oldest and slowesi
member of the bench.
Too Many Appeals
Appeals are made that should moi
be made. But that would be overcome
IL our supreme court judges would
only speed up and. once caught ur
With their calendar, give decisions
speedily.
Justice Maxwell n member of the
bench prior to 1890, read and pre-
pared 80 cases in one year. When he
was a member of the bench and had
only two other judges with him. the
supfeme court decided In six months
1913 cases. Our present court, with
80 Judges, over like period Of time
dsss1ed 124 cases."
Dowling offered no solution for tht
trouble other than that the court bs
speeded up by allowing the most able
members to read the greatest mum
Der Of cases.
THE people still have, as much
reverence for the courts as ever
They feel assured that they will get
Justice, eventually, but when? Their
cry Is against delays"
Provision for Aid.
"Under the constitution OF 1920 II
is provided that whenever necessary
for the prompt submission or de
termination of cases, the supreme
court may appoint judges Of tho dis.
trict court to act as associate judges
of the supreme court, sufficient ir
number with the judges of the su
preme court TO constitute two divi
sions OF the court. of five Judges in
each division.
Whenever judges of the district
court are SO acting the court shall
sit I'm two divisions
This constitution was adopted Sep
tember 81. 1920. The provision was
made necessary by the fact that. as
shown by the supreme court calendar
Of August 81. 1920, there were 5ss
undecided appeals. BY August 81
1921. the number of undecided cases
had mounted to 676, according to a
printed calendar issued by the clerk
and by August 81. 1923. the number
had increased to 974. in spite OF the
fact that the working capacity OF the
court had been practically doubled.
Offers No Solution.
Mr.. Bowling offered no solution foi
the trouble other than that the court
should be speeded up by allowing tn,
me- able members to read the great
..Jest number OF cases.
Mr.. Bowling was law partner will
Judge Allen before the latter wal
elected to the bench. He is now can
dIdate for the state supreme court.