Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-08
POWELL EXPLAINS
SPEEDING JUSTICE
Chief Justice Addresses Law
yers, Giving Account of
Cleveland System.

Declaring that judges are not i'm
mune from newspaper criticism ana
that such criticism in Cleveland brought
about adoption of improved methods in
expediting court procedure, Homer @.
Powell, chief justice of the Court OF
Common Pleas of that city, addressed
large gathering of the local lawyers
in Criminal Court Room No. Tues
day evening. The juriSt explained the
advantages of the system inaugurated
by him in Cleveland and which has
been recommended for adoption in the
local court, and answered number OF
questions put to him by the lawyers.
Representative Robert g. Simmons OF
Nebraska, chairman of the House APP
preparations Committee, made a brief
talk before the address OF Justice Pow
ell and expressed his regrets that he
had another engagement and could not
wait to hear the speaker. Mr.. Sim
mons assured the lawyers that II the
bar co-operateS with the court in speed
ing UP business Congress will extend its
aid TO bring about better administration
of the law. Speedier action in diSpos-
ing of court business, he said, viii mean
more success to lawyers and more salts
faction to htigants.
Report Briefly Outlined.
John E. Laskey, chairman of the
committee which reported the proposed
adoption of the Cleveland method OF
Fastening court work, briefly outlined
the committees report and introduced
Chief Justice Powell Alfred A. Wheat,
chief justice of the District Supreme
Court, thanked him for the interesting
and inspiring talk and for his ex-
PLANTATION OF the struggles of the Cleve-
land court and how they solved their
problems by combining justice with
speed. He said the local justices have
decided to give the plan trial and are
Sanguine that it will result in benefit.
He also declared that he is satisfied
the court will receive the hearty CO.
operation of the bar in giving q fair
trial to the new scheme.
Chief Justice Powell declared that
courts should be conducted on modern
business principles and through CEN
trail directing justice. Criminals, he
pointed out, make use of every modern
invention in the commission of crime
while the courts have been pursuing
them with an OK cart"
Trials Are Speeded Up.
When cleaning up his criminal docket,
he said, he had assigned IL judges 70
the criminal divisions and now in Cleve-
land q man is indicted one day, ar
i've days except in homicide cases. AS
he has only Is judges, the civil BUSH
ness, of course, suffered and Is some
months behind. Now only three judges
are required in the criminal court, he
stated.
The efficiency of the Cleveland courts
was improved under the present system,
the jurist said, about 6625 per cent and
saved the taxpayer $50, 900 in jury fees
alone last year.
AS to the domestic relations court,
Justice Powell declared that the trou-
bles of the court will not be obviated
until "a divorce coupon Is given with
each marriage license" He had some
practical suggestions for shortening
hearings on applications for temporary
alimony.
Col. j. Miller Kenyon, president Of
the Bar Association, presided, and ex-
pressed the appreciation Of the aSSo-
citation of the visit of Chief Justice
Powell and for the helpful suggestions
made by him.
More than $4,000, 900 was spent by
Americans for golf goods in 1880.