Evening star., 1926-10-04
WOULD RID COURTS
OF DEAD CASES"
Chief Justice Taft Submits
judicial Committees Plea
for Additional Judges.

Although substantial progress has
hnen made in reducing delays and con
Gestion in courts during the past
car, the conference of senior Circuit
''ourt judges, which met here last
week. in report made public yester-
day by Chief Justice Taft of the
United States Supreme Court, recon-
nended further clearing of dead cases
from Federal Court dockets and ap-
i'ointment of additional judges.
The report declared that sub
stantial progress has been made dur
ing the past year in reducing the
delays and cOngestions of business
which recently added judgships had
been created to remove" During the
last four years there has been AZ
per cent decrease in the number of
criminal cases awaiting trial, it added.
but in the same period the number OF
civil cases on the dockets increased
so per cent, while, with respect to
private and bankruptcy suits, the
courts held their own.
Advice to District Judges.
Again urging the Federal district
Judges to dismiss any case which
might have been brought to trial. but
IN which no action has been taken
within year. and the parties are not
ready TO proceed after receiving 30
days notice. the conference advised
the Federal district judges that they
should exercise the same control over
criminal as they now do over civil
cases, And indictments and infor-
nations should be ordered for trial
and tried or dismissed for delay sub
>tantially as has been recommended
in respect of pending causes gen
orally"
The administration of justice has
been obStructed because of the alb
sence Of ineligible statistics showing
he exact condition of the dockets and
the real business of the courts, the
conference asserted, expressing the
opinion that as soon as the public
realized the conditions which prevail
in the Federal courts corrective
measures could be expected. A COM
mittee consisting of Circuit Judges
Hough of the second or New York cir
cult and Denison Of the sixth circuit
was appointed to devise a plan for re-
ports by the district judges which will
disclose actual court conditions.
Appellate Courts Complimented.
The Circuit Court of Appeals were
declared to have continued their adj
mirable record and to he SubStan-
TALLY abreast of their dockets. Nev-
ertheless, the conference found, more
Judges are needed so that cases can
he tried within a reasonable time. 1t
renewed its recommendation, made
last year. for the appointment of an
additional circuit judge for the sec
ond circuit at New York. and for the
filing of vacancies caused by death
in the eastern district of PennSHl-
vania, at Philadelphia. and the north
ern district of California. at San Fran
cisco, for which appointments can be
made only with the consent of Con-
gress.
The conference also recommended
authority for appointment of a district
Judge for southern Iowa to assist
Judge Wade. who is disa bled by Ill
health, and renewed its recommenda-
ton for three additional district judges
for the southern district of New York,
one for the western district of New
York and one for Connecticut.
Creation of three new district Judge
ships was proposed. one in eastern