Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-10
LAW CONFERENCE
REAFF|RMS Jury
CLAUSE IN CODE
0ver-rides Minority, Provid-
ing for Less Than Unani-
nous Agreement.
THREE-DAY SESSION
TO END WITH BANQUET
Leading Jurists Will Address Din.
ner Presided Over by
Wickersham.

Overriding an obstinate minority. the
American Institute of Law reaffirmed
the incorporation in its new model code
OF criminal procedure of section pro-
viding for less than unanimous agree
ment by juries in rendering a verdict,
except in capital cases.
This step was taken after a motion
by Frederick w. Mansfield of Boston to
require unanimous verdicts in all cases
was defeated in the institute gathering
by vote of 70 to S.
Opposition to the position taken by
the institute was based chiefly on the
ground that it would require enactment
by all but five States.
Dinner to End Session.
The eighth annual meeting of the
institute will close with q banquet to-
night at the Mayfiower Hotel when vital
problems affecting the administration
of justice and law enforcement will be
discussed by leading jtrists and mem
bers of the bar.
American Institute of law will close
with banquet tonight at the May
flower Hotel when vital problems affect
ing the administration of justice and
law enforcement will be discussed by
leading jurists and members of the bar.
George w. Wickersham, chairman of
the Hoover Law Enforcement Commits
sion and president of the institute,
which has spent three days in advance
ing its tremendous task of restating the
law and agreeing on a new criminal
code for the Nation, will preside at the
banquet Addresses will be made by
George Wharton Pepper former Senator
from Pennsylvania; Henry u. Sims of
Birmingham, Ala, president of the
American Bar Association and a mem
Der of the council of the institute, and
Justice Royal A. Stone of the Supreme
Court of Minnesota.
Leading Jurists to Attend.
The dinner will be attended by more
tnan 900 Leading jurists and lawyers
VINO have been participating in the
three-day sessions, besides members of
the Supreme Court and officials of the
legal branch of the Government.
Virtual agreement upon further rec
concentrations for a wholesale revision
OF the Nations criminal code and the
completion of another step in an 18-
year task of ''restating" the country's
common law, stood accomplished today.
All that remains of this part of its task
is a formal vote of adoption.
AT one point in the double-headed
program the two groups met on COM
mon ground. Congratulations were ex-
tended to Owen j. Roberts of Phila-
delphia upon his nomination by Presi-
dent Hoover to the Supreme Court.
Mr. Roberts is a member of the irsti-
tute's council If his nomination Is
confirmed he will be the third member
of that body to be elevated to the
highest tribunal within the past five
years. He attended the opening ses-
sions of the institute Thursday.
Section in Code Withdrawn.
One change made in the trnodel code"
involved provision for facilitating the
Summoning of witnesses from other
States. The entire section was with
drawn, when it was found in partial
conflict with plan to accomplish the
same end, formulated by another law
body. In the discussion, Judge Jesse A.
Miller of Des Moines, president of the
National Conference, pointed out that
the conference now has pending a draft
-tacitly approved at its meeting In
Memphis in 1929-that would make uni
form State laws on this subject apply
to any two States adopting this provis-
ion. It would also apply to crimes gen.
orally, according to Judge Miller, be-
cause felonies are not defined In the
same terms in various States, and would
apply to courts of general jurisdiction.
A committee was appointed to harmon
ize the differences.
The step accomplished by the con-
ferees on "restatement" of the common
law was an agreement on the pro.
posed draft of the Conflict of laws"
The draft was designed to serve as ref.
erence work, facilitating decisions upon
laws that now conflict. It constitutes an
important chapter in the estimated %
volume task of "restatement'' to be COM
pleted in 1941.