The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-02-24
Minor Courts Reorganiza-
tion--Single Term
Liquidation

timore Promised by O'Conor IN
Gubernatorial Campaign-Proha-
bition against Governors Sue
ceeding Himself Must Finally be
Decided by Voters.
Annapolis, Md, Jan 21-As the
General Assembly Of Maryland, the
first half of its ninety day session
completed, settles down in earnest
to tackle the host of important biiis
now confronting 1t, two issues that
played an important part In Cover
nor O'Conor's campaign, issues TO
which he solemnly promised to turn
his attention when elected, are up
for consideration Of the legislators
namely, reform of the Inferior
Courts System, and the question OF
whether q Governor may succeed
himself.
Bills submitted during the past
week at the instance OF the Cover
nor cover these matters thoroughly,
thus adding two more to the number
Of campaign pledges of Candidate
O'Conor that have been carried out
since his induction into office little
more than a month ago.
Courts Completely Changed
Several measures now in commit
tee provide for complete reorganlza-
ton of those two divisions of the
minor courts system that have come
in for much criticism in the past
few years-the County Magistrates,
and the Peoples Court of Baltimore.
In the counties, agitation over the
magistrates included severe critic
ism of the selection of personnel;
of the fee system of payment for
the magistrates; and of their gener-
al haphazard administration of JUS
tic, lack of adequate records, fall
ure to make proper reports as re-
quired by law, etc. Complaints level
ed at the Peoples Court in Balti-
more focused on the high cost OF
litigation, as well as on the num-
Der of constables and political char
acter of the selections.
In each case, the reforms suggest
ed are sweeping, but have been we'll
considered, and, with few changes
of minor Importance, give promise
of securing the approval of the leg
islators. In the counties, under The
proposed law, the number of mag
istrates is reduced from $50 to b2,
the fee system of payment is abo-
lished, and the appointees are CIV
en- broader powers and wider terri
tories, Regular salaries of $4,000
to $3,6OO.00, depending upon the
court business in the district, are
provided to take place Of fees. The
reform measure allows one con-
stable, at 100000 per year, for each
magistrate. These, too, have been
paid by fees up to now.
Selection Up To Governor
These provisions, of course, still
do not reach the heart of the mat
ter, the selection of the magistrates,
one of the all-important phases OF
any minor court system. This is left
to Governor O'Conor, who is pledg-
ed by his own campaign promises,
and by the Democratic Platform, to
keep in mind that mo one should
be selected for any of these Offices
who is not fitted by training, educa-
ton and temperament to admins
ter justice without fear or favor,
and without reference to political
considerations" His choice of H.
Hamilton Hackney, head Of the Leg
al Aid Bureau of Baltimore, for the
post of judge of the Juvenile Court
of Baltimore, is, by the way, in
dication of his peculiar ability to
select the right man for difficult
job.
With regard to the Peoples Court
the legislation proposed would set
up the Court as full-time PROPOSE
ton, with three full-time judges,
and make it a genuine court. Ac-
cording to Reuben iOppenheimer,
chairman of the Governors commits
sion on the Court, it is not regarded
as court now by the Court of
Appeals.
A Real s'P0Or Peoples" Court
Such a court, Mr.. Oppenheimer
told the House Judiciary Committee,
would really make justice possible
for the poor people of the city. He
termed the present court costs there
outrageous, and said these costs
prevented the very people for whom
the court was intended, from get
ting any help there.
These measuers, important as they
are, comprise but fraction of the
major legislation that will have to
be decided upon In the remaining six
weeks-so that it is little wonder
that, in addition to the Assembly
having adopted already five-day
schedule for sessions each week,
Chairman Dudley G. Roe, OF the
Senate Finance Committee, now
promises nightly meetings of his
c0mmitte until the fiscal measures
Il IA