Evening star., 1941-07-31
House Unit Due
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Court Merger
Justice Groner Heads
Witnesses Supporting
Measure at Hearing

The House District Subcommittee
studying legislation to merge the
Police and Municipal Courts here will
report out the bill providing for an
administrative judge to preside over
the consolidated tribunal and estab-
fishing an intermediate court of ap-
peals, it was indicated today as the
hearings were concluded with vigor-
Gus support of the plan from men,
bers of the local judiciary headed by
Justice D. Lawrence Groner, chief
Justice of the United States Court
of Appeals.
II think the subcommittee is en-
tirely in accord with the general
purposes of this bill" said Subcom-
mittee Chairman McGehee, who pre-
viouSly had expressed his intention
of presenting the bill to the full
District Committee Monday.
Approval of the measure would
doom a second bill introduced by
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee, providing solely
for the consolidation and eliminate
ing the provisions for the appellate
machinery and presiding judge.
Suggested by Attorney.
Mr.. Randolph, who previously had
said he introduced the substitute
measure at the suggestion OF lead
ing attorney in whom he had great
faith" intimated he had no particu-
lar interest in it, explaining IN the
course of questioning of Justice
Groner that wisely or unWisely the
chairman of a committee sometimes
simply acts as the funnel for .
measure to reach the committee"
Il understand it did not represent
your views" Justice Groner said.
The District Committee chairman
also introduced the principal bill
the committee is considering, and
which is the product of conferences
by officials of the Justice Depart
ment, the local judiciary, and the
District bar.
At the conclusion of his testi-
mony Justice Groner was asked by
Mr.. Randolph IF there is need for
such a reform" in the local courts.
Crying Need, Jurist Says.
There is not only need now
there is a crying need" the Jurist
responded. Il think it would be a
step backward if legislation of this
nature is not enacted now"
In addition to Justice Groner 9TH
! er witnesses for the legislation to-
day included Judge John P. Nc
Mahon, presiding judge OF Police
Court; Judge George c. Aukam,
presiding judge of Municipal Court.
and Municipal Judges Nathan Cay
ton, Ellen K. Raedy and Almond
w. Scott.
Justice Groner, who aided in pre-
pairing the principal bill, said it was
intended to increase the Jurisdlc-
ton of the consolidated court above
the $1,000 limit now applicable to
Municipal Court civil suits, which
he said, would give litigants speed
ier trial and remedy" and would
relieve District Court of much OF
its present work.
Busiest Court in U. s.
The United States District Court
here, he continued, now is the
busiest court in the United States,
not excluding New York"
Further, he continued. the cost
of litigation would be lowered. JUS
tice Groner amplified, however, that
! he would raise the consolidated
court jurisdiction to cases involving
$4,000, instead of $4,000 as the bill
provides. He also told the SUBJ
committee that unless some new
form of appeals machinery is created
that it would be necessary to en-
large the Court of Appeals mem
bership-a course he opposes. That
tribunal, he continued, is now one
year and four months in arrears in
its work and has been behind fol
some time.
Another benefit of the new ap.
peliate plan stressed by Justice
Groner is that it would permit ap.
peals from the minor court as 9
matter of right" overcoming the
present inability of litigants to carry
case to the Court of Appeal.
without its express permission.
FavOrs Presiding Judge.
Naming of a presiding Judge whit
could assign the associate justices a.
desired, Justice Groner said, "woulc
make 1t possible for the man powe
of the court to be utilized to it!
fullest extent
In response to question b,
Chairman McGehee. Justice Grone
said he did not believe it would b'
necessary to add another judge t,
the consolidated tribunal if tn
chief judge were appointed. A
present, there are five judges il
Municipal Court and four in Polio,
Court.
He said he believed such detail
as tenure of Office and compensation
should be left to the subcommittee
and that he therefore would max,
no recommendations. He urged
however. that the judges 'shoult
have sufficient tenure so as not to b,
subject to the usual political con
siderations. Explaining his pref
erence for tenure which would ex
tend beyond the terms of changing
administrations, Justice Groner sal,
that better men can unquestionabl.
be obtained if their character ant
judicial ability is the test rathe
than their political beliefs"
Salary Now $4,000.
Police judges now serve six year
and municipal judges four, and tn,
salary is $4,000. The bill fixes tn,
term at 10 years and gives the pre-
siding judge $500.
The witness suggested that tn,
proposed appellate tribunal be desig
mated as the City Appeals Court,
saying that this is descriptive ant