Evening star., 1947-06-06
Laws Opposes
Trial
System Here
JudicioI Conference
Told Cuses Are Now
Handled Sooner

bers of the Judicial Conference of
Judges in the District that the pres
ent system of assigning criminal
cases for trial should be made per-
manent.
In a report to the conference,
Justice Laws said the system has
produced situation where trials
now may be said to be current"
A majority of judges and law
yers attending the conference,
which is being held in the United
States Court of Appeals Building,
expressed themselves in favor of
continuing present preliminary pro-
cedures In domestic relations cases.
Investigation Provided.
Under the system adopted in 1910,
a deputy clerk of the court has been
designated to act as commissioner
to investigate the facts in each case
involving custody of a child or
maintenance for the support Of al
wife and child and to make a report
including his recommendations.
While no formal resolutions are
being made by the assembly, al
showing of hands after discussion
OF the question indicated that % of
those expressing an opinion favored
continuation OF the system, felt
it should be abolished and II took
no stand.
In another discussion the group
in general favored adoption by the |
Court of Appeals of rule requiring |
an agreed statement of questions
presented by an appeal or a state
ment of the difference between the
parties involved as to the issues
presented.
Peacock Favors Rule.
Speaking in favor of such a rule |
was James Craig Peacock. Corpor-
alton Counsel Vernon E. West, who
also was scheduled to speak on the
subject, was unable to attend.
The report by Justice Laws de.
clared the time is insufficient to
discuss the problem and that the
judges presiding over the criminal
divisions of the court agreed a |
written report should be submitted.
This report points out that the
present system of assigning criminal
cases was started in April, 1945,
after complaints that the daily as
signment of cases was breaking
down" with the result that judges
and jurors were not being kept |
busy"
Under the system then adopted, |
assignments of criminal cases were
made by the Assignment Commits
sioner of the Court, instead of the
United States Attorney. Continual
tions were granted less often and
trial dates were assigned more
quickly after indictment, usually |
within one week The report cited |
many other changes.
Comparative Figures.
The success of the new system, the
report said, is shown by compara-
tive figures: On October 1, 1945, the
first date after the new system was
inaugurated for which reliable fig
ures are obtainable, there were 127
cases a year or older still pending
with defendants available for trial. |
On May /, 1947, there were only six
such cases.
Four of the six-year-old cases still
pending are against a defendant |
who had been committed until
lately in st. Elizabeth's Hospital
and could not be tried. The other |
two had been tried previously. One
is awaiting appeal action and the
other is to be retired June 9.
The report said:
"On october l, 1945, there were
l42 triable cases on the calendar
from 6 to IL months old. ON Octo-
ber l, 1946, there were II Such cases,
and on May /, 1947, there were only
II. On October /, 1945, there were
269 cases six or more months old;
on October /, 1916, there were 33
and on May l, 1947, there were II"
Cites Prominent Gases.
Cases in which the defendants
are held in Jail are tried within
about three or four weeks after in
dictment, according to the report.
Justice Laws cited a number of
prominent cases, all tried in District
Court within six months after in
dictment and the majority within
In April, 1945. when the new sys-
tenn was started,129 per cent~of all
cases were disposed of within three
weeks after indictment and 5 per
cent in the fourth week-totaling "a
per cent within four weeks. For
April, 1947, the figures are 10 per
cent in three weeks, per cent In
the fourth, for II per cent total.
New System Praised.
"It is apparent" the report said,
that under the new system trials
OF criminal cases are prompt and
certain, and it is believed that prose-
cution is most effective as a deter
rent to the commission of crime |
when 1t Is prompt and certain"
The report said two divisions of
z m IN 20 ssssss 81 "
S. $l Is