Evening star., 1937-03-23
CHILD COURT BILL
HIT BY D. c. BAR
Charcery Procedure Turned
Down in Acting Upon
Score of Measures,

The House bill substituting chancerv
for criminal procedure in the Juvenile
Court was opposed last night by the
District Bar Association, which acted
upon almost a score Of matters pend
ing before Congress
Disapproval of the juvenile court
bill was a divided vote after lengthy
discussion, as the association met in
special session in the MayfloWer Hotel.
The action was recommended by
James R. Kirkland, reporting for a
legislative committee, and the burden
of supporting the committees report
was borne by Leo P. Harlow, who said
the principle of the proposed legisla-
ton was laudable, but that the bill,
as drawn, was too broad and vague
and cloaked the Juvenile Court with
excessive power.
Among those who spoke in favor
of the bill was Huston Thompson,
former chairman of the Federal Trade
Commission, who said a similar meas
ure works satisfactorily in Colorado.
Mortgage Procedure Raised.
A recommendation Of widespread
business Importance was for passage
of a statute revising the mortgage
and deed trust foreclosure procedure.
The bill proposed by a special COM
mlttee Of the association, headed bv
Frederick A. Fenning, provided that
all foreclosure actions go through the
equity court and that out-of-court
sales be abolished.
The proposal would greatly lengthen
the foreclosure period, requiring notice
to all parties in interest IS days before
filing of foreclosure petition. After
the issuance of foreclosure decree by
the court, the sale would be adver-
tlsed for six weeks. Following the
sale, the owner of the equity of re-
demption would be allowed 80 davs
in which to redeem the property be-
fore the entering by the court of a
final order confirming the sale.
A collateral provision was to the
effect that In suit for deficiency
judgment after foreclosure, the de-
fendant might set off the fair value
of the property, rather than the
price obtained at the foreclosure sale.
On motion of George c. Gertmann,
former secretary of the association, it
was voted to recommend that the fore
closure measure apply to existing as
well as future mortgages and deeds
of trust
Legal Aid Given Many.
Dean Hill Stanley, chairman Of the
qSSnNia Tinr7'c Tano1 AiI
reported that his group began its
work yesterday in Municipal Court,
caring for Is or 16 INDECENT cases the
first day. Leo Mcclure and Austin
Garfield inaugurated the service.
In connection with its legal aid
work, the association disapproved the
Senate bill to establish small claims
branch of Municipal Court. 1t con-
tended its Legal Aid Committee obvi-
ated the need for the small claims
body
Refraining from acting upon the
Senate bill to take from Federal dis
trict courts the power to issue injunc-
| tions suspending operation of Fed
eral laws, the Legislative Committee
nevertheless expressed doubt as to the
| measures constitutionality. Its rec
ommendation that it give further
study to the question whether Con-
/ gress can deny to Federal courts
! powers which are inherently part Of
| the judicial power" was accepted by
the association
! Other Action Taken.
The following action was taken on
! other pending measures:
DSapproved the House bill for an
habitual criminal act for the District.
Endorsed the Senate bill to require
proper labelling of coal sold in small
quantities.
opposed a Senate bill to revise the
| procedure in lunacy cases by taking
commitment of lunatics out Of the
hands of a jury and vesting in it a
commission of two physicians and
one lawyer.
Recommended passage of an amend
ment to the Districts gambling laws
aimed at facilitating prosecution of
numbers" operators.
Indorsed the Senate bill to set up
q NOIIIIIILoo4O Va I'LL &C W lNNIlpt llIG
District Code, but recommended 1t be
amended so that the commission
members need not be residents of the
District; so that they would be ap-
pointed by the District Court rather
than the President; so that they be
not required to give up their private
practice of law, and so that the re-
written code would not be submitted
to the court for approval before sub
mission to Congress.
Approved the House bill to raise the
age of consent for marriage in the
District from l6 to Is years, for males,
and from IA to 16 years for females.
Approved the House bill to raise the
limit for petit larceny and similar
offenses from S35 to S75.
Approved in principle the House bill
permitting small loans in the District,
Postponed action on the House bill
to create the Office of public defender.
Recommended retirement pay for
judges of the Police, Municipal and
Juvenile Courts as embodied in a
House bill.