Evening star., 1933-02-26
HOOVER SIGNS BILL
FOR COURT REFORM
Voices Great "Satisfaction''
in Approving New ReguIa-
tions in Appeals.

local loopholes through which convicted
criminals have escaped Speedier punish
ment. President Hoover yesterday signed
a measure to prescribe new regulations
for the conduct of the lower Federal
courts after verdicts Of guilty have
been rendered
In brief statement issued from the
White House, the President said he
signed the measure with great salts
faction" Specifically in transfers to
the Supreme Court authority to draw
rules for the practices of the lower
Federal courts, a step he said had been
recommended both by himself and by
Attorney General Mitchell for the past
four years.
1T realizes. in part" Mr.. Hoover
said. "a quarter OF a century of de-
mands for reform in Federal criminal
procedure. 1t should prevent well en-
dowed criminals, who have been con-
victed by juries. from delaying punish
ment by years Of resort to sharp
technicalities Of judicial procedure. 1t
will increase the respect for law"
Attorney General Mitchell, in his
report on the measure. declared it the
most important bill directed at the
reform OF criminal procedure In the
Federal courts for many years.
The Presidents Statement,
The Presidents statement follows:
Il have signed with great Satisfac-
tion the bill, S 1920. to transfer to the
Supreme Court Of the Suited States the
authority to prescribe rules of practice
and procedure to be followed by
the lower Federal courts in criminal
cases after verdict. 1t represents the
recommendation of myself and the
Attorney General over the past four
years. 1t realizes, in part. the quarter
of-a-century demand for reform in
Federal criminal procedure 1t should
prevent well endowed criminals, who
have been convicted by juries. from
delaying punishment by years. of resort
to sharp technicalities of judicial pro-
cedure. 1t will increase the respect
for law"
The letter of the Attorney General
in full. follows:
L have the honor herewith to re-
Turn bill S. 1920 to give the Supreme
Court OF the United States authority
TO prescribe rules of practice and pro-
cedure with respect to criminal pro-
ceedlngS In cases after verdict,
Ihls Is the most important measure
directed at the reform of criminal pro-
cedure in the Federal courts that has
Deen enacted for many years. The
necessity for such legislation has more
than once been brought to the atten-
ton OF the Congress in your messages
and repeatedly urged in my reports to
the Congress. The bill was drafted by
me and introduced at my request, and
1t Is a matter of congratulation that
tne congress has found the time with
all Its other burdens to pick this bill
out OF the vast number pending and
enact 1t into law.
Cites "InterminabIe Delay"
"The subject of criminal procedure in
the Federal courts naturally divides
itself into two parts. the proceedings
before the trials in the lower courts
and the proceedings after verdicts of
guilty. The delays that have occurred
in important criminal cases in the Fed
eral courts because OF appeals by the
convicted persons and the long periods
that are allowed to elapse between the
dates Of the verdicts of guilty and the
final aff1rmance of the judgments in
the United States Circuit Courts of
Appeals have been a reproach to the
administration of justice Convicted
persons supplied with ample funds and
resourceful lawyers have been able to
delay final judgment and the COM
mencement of their sentences from one
to four years after juries have returned
verdicts Of guilty. There have been in
instances of this kind. 1t
has not increased the popular respect
for justice to have convicted persons
at large on bail for years after juries
have found them guilty While con-
victed person should have the right to
have his conviction reviewed by the
appellate court, he has no right to in
terminable delay. These delays have
been due to combination of causes.
to delays in procuring transcripts of
the record, in preparing bills. in bring
ing the appeals on for argument Fun
damentally, the cause has been the in
adequacy Of the rules of the United
States district courts and the circuit
court Of appeals, which lend themselves
to such delays end to indulgences and
extensions Of time granted by the
courts. Prosecuting attorneys have not
been free from blame because of fail
ure to expedite such proceedings. This
bill, which allows the Supreme Court
of the United States to regulate all
these proceedings. opens the way to
Throwing overheard the entire system
of proceedings in Federal criminal
cases after verdicts of guilty and to
substitute new rules which will compel
speedy disposition Of these cases. The
action which the Supreme Court Of the
United States has long since taken,
compelling prompt disposition Of GRIM
inal cases in that court leaves no doubt
as to the effectiveness of the measures
1t will take under this act.
Use of Mails to Defraud.
"One class of cases in which these
abuses have been greatest is that in
Guiding prosecutions for use Of the mails
to defraud. We have had many in
stances where thousands of persons
have been defrauded out of their savings
and robbed of vast sums by unscrupu-
lous operators in worthless securities
and where the malefactors, finally con-
victed by juries in Federal courts of
using the mails to defraud. have gone
at large on bail for years before their
cases were finally disposed Of in the in
termediate courts of appeals.
THE matter of reform in criminal
procedure in the Federal courts in those
pl oceedings prior to verdicts Is a sub
ject by itself which involves many diff
culties and which this measure does not
attempt to deal with, but we have here
the means of putting an end to practices
after verdicts of guilty which have
tended to make people lose confidence
in the administration of criminal law. I
recommend that it receive your ap-
prevail"