Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-07
More Court Operatives Needed.

Seven wears ago Congress enacted n
law which provided for the holding an
nuallv in this city NJ a judicial confer
ence, 10 ne attended by the !i,,dees Of
the ten senior Circuit Federal Courts.
under the chairuoa nship of the Chief
Justice. That conference for 1929 has
inst heen held Tts sessions we've. as
usual. executive. and no public attention
was called IN IT,. There wss no news
In its sittings: its proceedings and Dc
liberations developed NO sensations. Its
purpose was to discuss the condition NJ
the Federal dockets. " was business
meeting. held 70 ascertain whether the
courts are keeping I'D to the work i'm
posed ipon them by the litigs nts If me
country and the riolators If the Federal
laws.
According 70 an announcement lust
made nv the Chief Justice concerning
the outcome ~ the conference. ire Fed
eral courts ere not quite keeping up,
owing "a the fact that In most cate
sories more cases we're pending On the
30th 1T June. 1929. than were Of record
on the sarne date the year before. More
cases we're Ale6 and initiated in 1929
than IN 1923. For instance. 1928 civil
cases were commenced IN 1929 under
the prohibition act and sS.27e criminal
cases. while In 1929 there we're 1927
civil and se,7es criminal cases under
the same act There we're increases ir
other GLASSES as we'll. Meanwhile thern
has been nc increase in the judicial
organization adequate to handle the
added business.
IN one respect the conference makes
direct and specific recommendations
that should meet with success al os:ce.
II points out that In many parts Of he
country the aficiency 81 the courts in
making prompt disposition cf the
United States business Is substantially
competent help in the oftces Of the
clerks, n1arshels and district attorneys.
II notes further that the Attorney Gem
! eral Is submitting 70 the Bureau Of the
! Budget estimates for 1891 which we
| consider not more than reasonably SUI
fcent TO cover the expenditures which
ought 10 be made to bring these ofaces
ur to the proper standard" The rom
ference therefore recommends 10 the
Bureau Of the Budget and the Congress
that these estimates be approved and
the requested appropriations made for
the remainder Of the current fstal year
SO that this necessary improvement
may not be delayed.
The action Of the Circuit Court con-
ference reaches a point 81 possible
action that has for long time required
attention. Much Of the court conges-
ton has neen due TO the inadeouacy Of
the operative forces in the judicial or
zenizatio II may be that some o. the
procedure is unduly complex and cum
bersone. II Is possible that it could be
simplified. But the process Of simphfl-
cation IL not an easy one. II inntedi-
atelv involves revision Of the statutes
governing procedure. While awaiting
that process Of clearing away the CUM
bsring routine Of judicial practice that
must be effected eventually, 1t Is nee
essary that the working forces Of the
courts for the handling Of this routine
should be increased and made more
efacient through larger appropriations.
Chief Justice Taft has during hts
term Of service effected practical clear
ance Of the Supreme Court calendar.
bringing the business Of that court
virtually ur to date. But the reform,
IN judicial procedure to effect the
speedier disposition OF cases properly
begins in the lower ranges Of the
Judiciary system This immediate rec
ommendatlcn Of the conference Of ctr
cult Judges Is g step in that direction.
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