Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-13
LIGHTER PENALTIES |
URGED BY BRIDE |
Suggests Less Drastic Action
to Cut Demand for Police
Court Jury Trials.

Adoption of less drastic penalties for
/: positiol. on persons tried in Police
Court so as to reduce the demand for
chinery of the court to try jury cases
was recommended to the District Com
missioners today by Corporation
Counsel w. w. Bride.
The recommendation were con-
tanned In Mr.. Brides first annual re.
port, which stressed the seriousness Of
the conditions at Police Court, due to
congestion, which, he said, had been
caused by frequent demand for jury
trials. and the lack of machinery to
try the numerous cases.
Progress Is Reported.
1.-THE congested condition Of the jury
docket in the Police Court has been
matter of grave concern" said the
report. This has been caused by the
frequent demand for jury trials and
the lack of machinery to try the nu-
merdus cases. A strong drive was
made in the Spring to ameliorate this
situation, and considerable progress
made. when the failure of the appro-
priations stopped the work until aft
or the beginning of the fiscal year July
/, when the work was resumed.
ut is obvious that the machinery
OF the court to try jury cases must
be inCrea sed or the penalties made less
drastic so as to curtail demands for
jury trials. The adoption Of both
courses is recommended"
nations were filed in the District
branch Of the court during the last
fiscal year which ended June 30 and
that fines and forfeitures collected dur.
ing that period aggregated 1927, 299.04.
The remainder of Mr.. Brides report
is devoted to a review of the activi-
Ties OF the corporation counsels office
during the 12-month period. Mr.. Bride
pointed out, however, that Francis II.
stephens was corporation counsel
throughout the entire year and that
he should he given whatever credit is
due FOR the accomplishments.
In the Court of Appeals decisions in
Is cases In which the District was
party were rendered during the year,
the report showed. II of which We're
favorable and six adverse 20 the Dis.
tfict. Six other cases are now pend.
lHE IN mat court.
Thirty.siX actions at law, the re.
port said, were instituted in the Dis
trlct Supreme Court during the year,
in which the District was named as n
party defendant. Six cases were dis
posed of in this court, nine in favor of
the District. and appeals being noted
in three cases. Four of the cases
were dismissed by the plaintiffs and
the District consented to judgments
in two cases and one case resulted ad.
versely to the District. In addition,
the report said, seventeen equity suits
were filed in the District Supreme
Court, in which the District was
named as party defendant. and that
- equity cases We're disposed Of dur.
ing the year, nine of which were in
favor of the District.
1853 Lunacy Proceedings.
At the beginning OF the fiscal year.
the report pointed out, there were
pending in the District Supreme Court
40 proceedings in condemnation, and
during the 12.month period "a addi.
tional condemnation cases were filed.
OF this number 16 verdicts were rati-
fed and confirmed, II proceedings
were discontinued by the Commission.
ers and one proceeding was dismissed
by the court, leaving 80 still pending
In two pending cases decisions ad.
verse to the District were rendered,
but such decisions were reversed by
the Court of Appeals. In two other
cases decisions adverse to the District
we're rendered and are pending on ap-
peal.
Lunacy proceedings to the number
Of 353 were filed by the corporation
counseps office in the District Supreme
Court during the year, the report
added. OF this number 275 respond
ents We're found to be of unsound mind,
and committed to st. Elizabeth's Hos
pital; q we're adjudged not insane, and
discharged: and petitions in 10 cases
were dismissed. on motion of the as.
sistant corporation counsel, il appear-
ing that the respondents, although of
unsound mind. could be cared for by
relatives or friends without danger to
the public.
10 Police RepIevin Suits.
In the Municipal Court, the report
showed that 10 replevin proceedings
were filed against officials of the Pc.
lice Department, and that the defend.
ants were represented by the corpora.
ton counsePs Office. In each case. the
report pointed out, satisfactory proof
of ownership Of the property involved
was established by the plaintiffs and
property restored to them. Sixteen
other proceedings also were instituted
against the District in the Municipal
Court.
One was dismissed by the plaintiffs
prior to trial, one was settled without
trial. one was tried and judgment rem
dered in favor of the District, cases
were decided adversely to the District,
in one of which an appeal was noted,
and eight cases are now pending.
During the year in the Juvenile
Court 1871 proceedings were filed, re!
|sulting in court hearings in l,179 cases,
according to the report.
The report showed further that ST..
6S4.51 was collected by the corporation
counsels office for damages TO lamp
posts, and that the office received 287
reports Of accidents and claims for
damages in which the District might
have been involved.