Evening star., 1939-11-14
Restitution Writ
Fee Cut 50 Per Cent
By Vote Of Judges
Action Follows Reduction
In Filing Fee in Landlord
And Tenunt Court
BY HORACE KNOWLES,

Further drastically reducing fees
charged in the landlord and tenant
branch of Municipal Court, the
Board of Judges today voted to cut
in half the writ of restitution fee of
so cents.
The action follows a reduction of
the filing fee in the branch from
IS cents to so cents voted yes
terday. Both cuts will take effect
tomorrow.
The approximate total saving to
the nearly $4,000 poor tenants sued
in the branch annually for repos-
session of their homes on a basis
of non-payment of rent will be
$4,000 annually.
The saving amounts to more than
1886 a week-more than 81 600 per
month.
The reductions follow a series
CT articles in The Star two weeks
ago In which it was pointed out
that the court has made a needless
prof1t-receipts over expenditures
because Of excessive fees charged
In this branch.
Issued in 20 Per Cent Of Cases.
Writs of restitution are issued in
about 20 per cent of the cases filed
at the court They are papers which
empower the United States mar
shal's Office to evict a tenant If the
rent is not paid upon demand.
The judges adopted the cut IN the
writ fee on suggestion of Judge
Nathan Cayton, who today expressed
his qualification with the action.
Il feel that now for the first time,
the landlord and tenant fees are on
an equitable basis" he said.
Judge Cayton said if the board
Of judges would take one more step
in reorganizing this branch-that of
holding sessions in the afternoon
instead of the morning-he would
feel that the court is really serving
these litigants proportionately."
High praise was voiced today for
the judges action in reducing the
filing fee yesterday. The filing fee
cut will effect saving of about
SIT 500 and the writ reduction about
$500 annually to the involuntary
litigants in the branch.
Seton Darr, president of the Dis
trict Bar Association, said he was
very gratif1ed with the progressive
step in tightening the burden on
poor litigants." The five judges
yesterday unanimously voted to cut
the filing fee from IS cents to so
cents, a reduction of about Al per
cent.
Afternoon Sessions Urged.
Continuing his comment, Mr.. Darr
said: There long has been a need
for substantial reduction in this
fee, which is almost always ulti-
mately paid by the tenant. In ef-
feet, this cost has amounted to a
very substantial increase in rent for
these people.
Il feel that the court has taken
a step in the right direction"
Mr.. Darr urged, however, that the
judges give more consideration to
Judge Claytons proposal to hold
the landlord-tenant sessions in
the afternoon instead of the morn
ing. This, he felt, would give the
judges more time to inquire me-
thodically into each individual case
The bar presidents request was
supported by Mrs. Helen D. Hoff-
man, director of the Washington
Housing Association, a Community
Chest agency that has been active
In sponsoring progressive changes
in landlord-tenant procedure.
Convenient Time Urged.
After praising the judges action
in cutting the filing fee, Mrs. Hoff-
man said:
''The association hopes the Judges
will also act favorably on the sug-
gestion Of the Women's Bar Asso-
citation that there be q two-month
trial period of afternoon instead OF
morning sessions in the branch. The
Housing Association believes that
court attendance is an important
factor in helping tenants to under
stand their rights and duties. Since
this is the case, the hour for holding
the court should be at a time most
convenient for them"
It has been argued repeatedly that
housewives, who form large part
Of those answering court sum-
monses, would be freer from house.
hold duties in the afternoon. It IL
held that these women are busily
engaged in the morning in getting
their husbands OF to work and chill
dren to school.
The reduction to 50 cents In the
!(oao TUANTo, Paeo A.l)