The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-27
800 CASES ON
WAITING LIST
IN HIGH court
State Supreme Tribunal
Has Pending Actions Piled
Mountain High.
SOME HELD FOR YEARS
Striking Contrast Is Shown
With Record Made by
Appellate Judges.
BY DANIEL NJ. KIDNEY

Contrast between the dockets of
the Indiana supreme and appellate
courts was disclosed as striking to-
day, in that the latter has but fifty
three cases pending that are fully
briefed and awaiting decision.
In the supreme court, some 300
cases await decision, many pending
for years. The list includes civil
actions with widespread effect on
governmental functloning and GRIM
inal cases which constitutionally
demand speedy justice"
From July 80, 1929, to March S,
1880, supreme court judges decided
f1fty-one cases, according to the
Northeastern Reporter, covering
that period.
During 1929 the appellate court
disposed of 489 cases, and has dis
posed of 143 since Jan. /, its docket
discloses..
Paid $4,000 Yearly
There are five supreme and six
appellate judges. Each is paid $10,-
600 a year.
The appellate court handles civil
and misdemeanor cases. The latter
was added to its jurisdiction by
emergency legislation in 1929, in an
effort to get the supreme court
docket clear. 1t is effective until
Jan. !, 1881.
Meanwhile, thirty-four cases
questioning constitutionality Of this
measure have piled up, awaiting de-
cision in the supreme court.
Members of the supreme court are
Judge Benjamin M. Willoughby,
Vincennes, new chief justice for the
May term, which started Monday;
Judges Julius G. Travis, La Porte;
David A. Myers, Greensburg; Clar-
ence r. Martin, Indianapolis, and
Willard B. Gemmill, Marion. All
are Republicans.
Willoughby and Gemmill are
seeking denomination on the G. O..
P. ticket. Term is six years and
selection of the nominee will be
made at the state convention,
June 5.
Check Made on Docket
The jammed docket has caused
The Indianapolis Times to make a
checkup on how the individual
judges have been working. Here is
the record:
In the Northeastern Reporter 1877
covering the period July 30 to Oct
%, 1929, Willoughby is credited with
one decision, Myers one, Martin
three, Gemmill three, Travis four.
In volume 1853, Oct, %, 1929, tc
Jan. 8, 1890, the record is Willough-
by four, Myers two, Martin seven
Gemmill five, Travis two. In vol
ume 1859, Jan. IS to March 5, 1890 ii
runs Willoughby six, Myers two
Martin six, Gemmill one, Travis one
Three cases were decided "per cur
iam," no judge lending his name to
the decision as written.
The Indiana Law Journal for Oc-
tcber, 1929, listed the cases as as
signed by districts. Cases are as
signed to each judge in turn and
the listing by districts makes him
identifiable, since the judgeshipS are
based on district representation.
Each Has Many Cases
Using this list and the record
above, the following estimate of
"who has the cases" was made to-
day:
Willoughby, eighty-four; Meyers,
sixty-nine; Martin, thirty-two;
Gemmill, nineteen. and Travis,
eighty-five.
These cases should be divided as
those coming to the court as regular
appeals and those on petition to
transfer fron the appellate court.
Regular cases are estimated as
Willoughby, forty; Myers, thirty
five; Martin, fifteen; Gemmill, ten,
and Travis, sixty. On petition to
transfer the estimate, based on the
law journal figures, are WiIloughby,
forty-four; Meyers, fourteen; Mar
tin, seventeen; Gemrnill, nine, and
Travis, twenty-five.