Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-08
FEDERAL COURTS SLASH
RED TAPE TO END JAM
and Other Dead" Cases to
Be Dropped by Thousands-Judges
TO Speed Decisions.

tinued, according to the method OF
| procedure agreed upon between the
senior circuit Judges. As result OF
the wedding out of dead" liquor law
cases and other inactive criminal ac'
tons. long pending. Federal judges
not only will he able to handle the
normal flow OF criminal litigation. but
can give greater measure OF atten'
| ton to civil cases that are also ean-
! stantly pressing for Anal adiudica ton.
The Federal courts in 1927 had one
| OF their busiest years and were able
| to clear up tremendous volume or
cases Of all kinds. But new criminal
and civil business. largely the out,
growth of liquor law attractions. con-
| tinued to pile up on the dockets. fur.
! Their increasing the staggering load OF
accumulated cases awaiting trial.
| Criminal prosecutions numbering
| 67.:79 were disposed OF by the District
courts last year. along with 1888
) civil cases to which the Government
was a party. together with $4,000
bankruptcy proceedings. s,4Se admi'
rally cases and 10 ,065 private suits.
New business begun in the courts.
however, included 81. S14 criminal pros
ecutions and 1883 civil cases. to
which the United States was a party.
together with 1880 private suits
!. saS admiralty suits and 4S.15S bank.
rupcy proceedings.
The extent to which the time OF
judges Is monopoliZed in the trial or
liquor law cases is reflected in figures
compiled by the district attorneys,
showing that last year 1857 persons
were sentenced to Jail or prison and
that fines were imposed upon a6.11S
persons for violating the prohibition
:law In addition. the courts had be.
fore them 3.413 "liquor paddock" cases.
involving closing OF properties. under
permanent injunctions, for dry law
violations. The Government collected
about s6.000.000 in fines imposed in
prohibition cases brought before Fed
eral courts.
Liquor Law Litigation.
And liquor law business before these
tribunals is steadily increasing. Judges
in most districts tell the same story
an unprecedented burden OF liquor
law litigation. Judge George McClin-
tic, i'm the southern district of West
Virginia. asserted that in his six years
on the bench he has had about 10000
persons before him on criminal
charges and that 5000 OF them were
arraigned for liquor law violations.
Judge &. NJ. Hicks Of the eastern dis
trict of Tennessee states that 20 per
cent of the cases he has handled since
his appointment five years ago have
been dry law cases. Judge Morris
Soper Of Maryland stated that in his
district at least 0ne-half OF the time
OF one Judge could be continuously
employed in the trial Of liquor cases.
Judge John b. Sanborn of Minnesota.
one of the iurists who first suggested
new procedure for the, dropping of
dead" cases. was convinced that the
Federal courts would have to go out
Of business rs civil courts unless he
roic measures were adopted 10 clear
the way for a more orderly disposition
OF civil as we'll as criminal suits,
Judges of Federal courts in States
generally classified az wet strong.
holds'' unite In expressions that cases
involving criminal provisions OF the
dry laws have 80 c0ngested the courts
as seriously TO jeopardize all other
classes Of litigation.
Cold figures gathered by the Depart.
ment of Justice tell the story ~ the
courts swamped condition. The ON
cial records disclose that Federal
criminal prosecutions under the LIQUOR
laws have jumped upward 900 per cent
since the first year of the dry laws
operation. In 1920 there were 10, 54s
arrests and from this number prose
cutofs developed 1921 cases in Fed.
eral courts. In eight years the number
OF arrests have risen TO above 50, 900
annually. and the number of prosecu.
tons increased Tn about so 900 a year.
The Government has established an
| unusually high record Of convictions
in cases brought TO trial During the
/ past few years prosecutions have
| shown an average OF about 50 per
cent Of convictions. a much higher
percentage than was recorded in the
| earlier years Of prohibition enforce.
| ment Prosecutors. however. have been
handicapped seriously by the court
jams and have been forced 10 enter
| nolIe presses In about 10 per cent Of
al cases because evidence brea ks
down through disappea ra nee OF wit.
nesses or tor other causes.
TIE record. by years. Of Volstead
IN " arrests and prosecutions. provides
n bird's-eye view OF court congestion: