The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-08
MISSOURPS NEW LAW CODE AID
 TO POOR MANI
BY KENNETH DAVID

| ~ AAASANANAN A AA ANAA A2 l United Press Stan COrrespOndent)
 Jefferson City, Mo, Nov. B. (UP) -"Poor mans" law goes on the Mis- souri statute books next New Years Day.
 It's a new, simpihed, stream lined code to govern procedure in the states civil courts and may set 8 pattern for other states to follow.
 The product of more than three years study by a group of lawyers appointed by the state supreme court, the new code combines the best practices in other states with the experiences and opinions of Missouri lawyers.
 It was written with an eye to giving "the poor man better break in civil courts" by eliminat- ing numerous legal tectnicalities in the present 95-year-old code which tend to hamstring litigation and by introducing new steps in court procedure designed to save time and reduce the costs of civil suits.
 Code Studied Since 1943
 This modernized set of poor mans" statutes was adopted by the 1943 Legislature which ex- pressly provided that it become effective on Jan. 1, 1945-nearly a year and half after its adoption ito give lawyers chance to be- come thoroughly familiar with its provisions. And the lawyers have been doing that for several months in solitary study and in round- table discussions.
 Its legislative sponsor, Senator Francis Smith, St. Joseph, Mo, Democrat and himself a lawyer, is the author of the statement that the new code would give the poor man better break in civil courts.
 There are several reasons, he said, why this new code which has no bearing on the states crim- inal statutes = can properly bear the label poor mans" law. And some of the reasons he cites are these:
 1. Court terms will be abolished a provision intended to speed up cases by giving itigants opportunity to file suits any time they get them ready and permits the court to set cases for trial quickly without wait- ing for a new term.
 2. Opponents in a law suit will be given a chance to meet in joint conference with the judge prior to the trial to agree upon facts and law to trim cases down to funda- mental issues and thus eliminate time-consuming courtroom argu- ment.
 Set Time for Demurrers
 3. All motions-such as demur- rers and motions for directed ver- diets which lawyers frequently whip out of their pockets at op- perfume moments during a trial for the sole purpose of prolonging the case - must be disposed of at specific time and not at coun- Sels' convenience.
 4. A defendant outside tn e courts jurisdiction may be served costly, time wasting requirement by registered mail, eliminating the costly, time wasting requirements of the present code that service can be had only by publication of notices on the defendant specific number of times in a newspaper, which generally turns out to be an obscure legal paper. The publica- tion method is not outlawed, how ever.
 5. Appeals from adverse decisions of the lower courts will be greatly simplified and much less expensive. The losers in lawsuits will be re- quired merely to serve notice of appeal on the opposing litigant and file typewriter record of the lower court proceeding with the appellate court. Now, the appellant must bear heavy printing costs be- cause he is compelled to file printed abstracts, records and briefs with the higher tribunal.
 6. The form of legal processes, writs and subpoenas will be standar- dized-another money saver.
 The new code itself gives the state court the right to polish up any rough spots that may appear as the law gets its test of time and usage