The Indianapolis times., 1928-12-18
LEAGUE ASKS
State COURTS
CHANGE RULES
Procedure More Like That
of Federal Tribunals Is
Recommended.
DIVIDED ON ELECTION
Half of Indiana Members of
Organization Favor
Appointment.

A large majority of the seventy
Two Indiana members of the ma
t1onal council of the National Eco
nomlc League favor making pro-
cedure in state courts more CLOSELY
like that in federal courts, according
to the results of a vote, taken by the
league, made public today. The
council is composed of leading busi-
ness and professional men.
The more than 1000 members of
the council Of the league Joined in a
nationwide vote on various SUBJ
Jects connected with "administra-
tion of justice"
Ninety-three per cent of the In
diana membership voted ives" TO
the question: Should trial Judges
in your state, in instructing the Jury
in civil cases, have power to sum up
the evidence orally, to comment
upon it's weight and suficiencv. and
upon the credibility of the witnesses
as in federal court?" Eighty-five
per cent also favored giving the
state judges that right in criminal
cases.
Vote Largely in Favor
Nationally the vote was 81 per
cent in favor in regard to civil cases
and "a per cent in favor in criminal
cases also:
The Indiana league members,
however, disagreed with the major
ity of the total council on whether
judges should be appointed or
elected.
The Indiana vote was equally
divided on the question, although
the national vote was II per cent in
favor OF appointment.
Fltty-Six of the Indiana members
voted that terms of Office of Judges
should be for term of years In
stead OF for life, while "a per cent of
the national vote favored life terms
for judges.
Sixty-six per cent of the Indiana
vote was for permitting the court of
appeals Ito receive new evidence or
have it taken, to make new findings
OF fact, to enter final Judgment
based on such evidence and findings
and thus to avoid remanding for a
new trial" in civil cases.
National Vote Is "Yes"
Sr;ty-eight per cent favored that
procedure in criminal cases. The
national vote was "a per cent in
favor in regard to civil cases and SO
per cent in criminal cases.
FIlty-eight per cent of the Hoosier
council members believe the present
method OF electing prosecuting at
torneys should be continued, but 80
per cent favored making prosecutors
subject to removal. appointment
and election Of prosecutors tied in
the natioI vote, although 81 per
cent favored the subject to removal
clause.
Ninety-siX per cent of the Indiana
voters opposed abolishment of the
grand jury system and initiation of
criminal procedure, by information,
as did 70 per cent of the national
voters
Ninety-two per cent of the state
voters also believed that many vio-
latlons Of law now called crimes and
involving criminal record, but
punishable only by fines, should be
converted by statute into civil Of
lenses involving liability to the state
without criminal records" This was
favored by 88 per cent of the ma
tional voters.
NOtabIeS on Indiana List
Fifty-seven per cent Of the Hoos-
1ers favored legislation making
agreements to arbitrate business dis
putes valid and enforceable by a
summary procedure, where the
agreement covers both existing con-
troverSies and those which may arise
in the future.
Seventy-f1ve per cent favored
legislation where the arbitration is
limited to controversies existing
when the agreement is made. The .
national votes were 70 to II per cent
in favor.
The Indiana members of the ma
| tiOOal council Of the Iaacy,,o o.o.