Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-27
SurveyU Urges
Cut in Virginia
Court Circuits
ReorrongementWouId
Roise Salaries, Place
Setup Under d Director
BY the Associated Press.

N0sSS SotossSSS soSS
Setup Under d Director
BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, Dec. 27.-Rear-
rangement of Virginia's IS judicial
circuits into %, elimination of sew
eral separate corporation, musings
and chanery courts and appointment
Of the judges by the Governor SUBJ
ject to confirmation by the General
Assembly are recommended in the
report Of a special legislative COM
mission on the administration OF
justice.
The proposals offered by the
group, headed by Delegate Stuart B.
Campbell of Wythe County and
made public by Gov. Darden, in
cluded recommendations for the ap-
pointment of two circuit judges at
large, who would be available for
service in whatever jurisdiction they
might be needed, with one OF these
maintaining general supervision over
judicial system as director OF
courts" 49,.
Nearby Section Affected.
Under the proposal, Arlington
County and Alexandria would be in
the 10th circuit, while the 9Th CIR
cult would include the counties of
Fairfax, Stafford, Fauquier. Prince
William and Loudoun
Arlington now Is the only county
in the 35th circuit and Alexandria
and the counties of Prince William
and Fairfax now comprise the 18th
circuit.
The population figures, apparently
based on the 1910 census, listed for
the proposed ninth circuit was 1os,-
545, and for the enth, 90,563.
Other proposed circuits in the
Northern Virginia area and their
populations are the following:
Sixth Powhatan, Cumberland,
Buckingham, Fluvanna, Albemarle,
Greene, Madison, Culpeper and
Charlottesville, 107,762.
Seventh Henrico, Hanover,
Goochland, Louisa. Orange and
Spotsylvania, 105,l33
Eighth - Northumberland, Ian.
caster, Westmoreland Richmond,
Essex, Middlesex, Mathews, Glou-
cester, King and Queen, King Will
liam, King George, Caroline and
Fredericksburg, 1ll,o58.
Eleventh-Clarke, Frederick, War;
rem, Rappahannock, Shenandoah,
Page and Rockingham, 106,777.
Twelfth-Augusta, Highland, Bath,
Allegheny. Clifton Forge and Staun-
ton, 108,896.
The terms of all judges would be
extended to IL years, and the SAL
aries of the new circuit judgeships
would be increased from $5,400 to
81, 500, those of associate justices of
the Supreme Court of Appeals from
$500 to $4,000, and the chief JUS
tice from $500 to s1o,5oo.
/, The principle of circuit judges also
serving as ex-ofhcio judges of GER
tain cities would be extended to
make the circuit judge ex-oficie
judge of the Petersburg Court and
the Corporation Courts of Char
lottesville, Alexandria, Staunton and
Bristol. 1t was suggested that SINH
lar action also be considered for the
courts at Danville and Newport
News.
Judges Fill Out Terms.
Displaced judges would continue
for the remainder of their terms
at their present salaries, with the
option of retiring at any time dur
ing their present terms on reaching
the age of so. This would permit
them to receive retirement pay as
If they had become disabled during
their terms of Office.
1t was noted that the program
may show that the number of
judges at large should be increased
or decreased, and the commission
drafted constitutional provision to
permit the selection of such addi-
tional Judges at large as may be
necessary to keep the courts up to
date.
TT is believed that it is desirable
to designate one of the judges at
large as the director of courts and
place on him the primary RESPONSE
bility for the effective operation Of
the judicial system" thesreport said.
He should be clothed with suffi-
cient authority to require from the
clerks of courts and other court off,
Gals, including judges, exact infor-
nation as to the status of the judi
cial business of the court, the
amount of time necessary to its dis
charge, the type Of litigation con-
Quoted in the court, the condition Of
the docket and all other facts which
will enable the director to assign
judges to courts in order to prevent
or clear up the congestion OF
dockets, and to do anything else
conducive to the prompt dispatch
Of judicial business and to keep all
courts current in their work"
Allowance Avoided.
LII duultlOIl W I'LL cdSlllS tItc SOL
aries of the circuit judges, they
would be allowed $500 year each
for stenographic assistance. The
commission said it felt that judicial
salaries should be put on scale to
attract successful practitioners and
not to require competent lawyer to
make too great financial sacrifice.
Where two present judges would
be thrown into the same circuit un-
der the Encouragement, the senior in
point of service would be judge of.
the new circuit with the Junior serv-.
ing as associate judge until his term
expires, or he rctires.
The commission said it believed
appointment of the judges by the
Governor, subject to legislative con-
firmation, would be an Improvement
over the present syster1 of ti1eiY.