Evening star., 1947-06-07
Single Building
For Courts
Urged byFord
Attorney Sees Need
To Improve Mechanics
In Criminal Cuses

Mechanics OF the present system
of assigning criminal cases for tria
in District Court could be improve,
without disturbing the presen
healthy condition" of the crinina
calendar, Attorney Charles E. For
asserted yesterday.
Addressing the Judicial Confer
ence Of Judges in the District, hel,
at the United States Court of Ap
|peals building, Mr.. Ford offered sug
gestions including one that ther,
be three regularly assigned court
for criminal matters, all in the sam,
building.
Earlier, Chief Justice Bolitha J
Laws Of District Court stated in
report to the assembly that tn,
present system of assigning crimi
nal cases for trial should be mad,
permanent.
Trials Now Current"
Under this system, which Justic,
Laws said had produced q situation
where trials now may be said tx
be current" assignments of crimina
cases are made by the Assignment
Commissioner Of the Court, insteat
Of the United States Attorney.
Attorney Leo A. Rover, also favor.
ing retention of the method, named
two Strong" points In its favor
1t provides for the court to contro
it's own criminal calendar; anl
speedy trials, which are to the publ,
interest, are accomplished.
Mr.. Rover commented that whef
the new system was inaugurated
he had been one of those who fell
1t would not work. Time has proved
however, he said, that we wer.
wrong"
Mr.. Ford, In recommending thre,
regular criminal courts in one build
ing, said he felt this would MAKE
more secure the handling of pris'
oners, removing the hazards O
transferring them from one building
to another.
Would Cut Complications.
1t also would minimize complica.
tions caused by witnesses gettin,
'lost", MIR. Ford said, and the trafi,
danger entailed when groups O
attorneys, witnesses and others fire.
quenting the courts cross E stree
NV. between court buildings in tn,
middle of the block.
The attorney recommended alst
that on weekly arraignment days
not only should trial dates be set
but the particular court in which
the trial would take place should b.
designated, with cases assigned il
their numerical order.
Such a system, he declared, woult
allow for trying of "the oldest case
first, cut down confusion of wit
nesses as to where they should ap
pear and establish continuity o
each case in one court.
Benefit of Witnesses.
Another topic of discussion
brought suggestions for improve
ments in procedure and facilitie
for the benefit of witnesses.
Philip L. Graham, publisher O
The Washington Post, who is chair
man of a committee of1laymen ant
lawyers probing the subject, sal,
early investigation indicated ther
are two subheads of dissatisfaction
for witnesses.
These are accommodations-lacl
of which bolster the need.for a ney
courthouse-and the delays causet
witnesses in criminal trials.
Mr.. Graham said there is publi
relations need for increasing con
fldence of witnesses in the cour
and bar. They should be assured
they will get fair treatment" h,
said. They need some method O
being informed of their rights, du
ties and responsibilities"
Relations With Public
Justice Laws said he though
there was definitely a movement
throughout the country to improv,
relations between the courts ane
the public" He added he believed
the inviting of laymen to confer
with members of the judiciary anc
bar "had made the greatest inn
provement in the administration
of justice"
Attorney John J. Wilson said h,
regarded witnesses as class, gen.
orally speaking, "as receiving tn,
least consideration Of all the parti
cipants in the judicial process"
A new member of the bar, Rober
L. Heald, who said he believed h,
still could see the situation from tn.
point of view of layman, suggested
that judges could help witnesse.
coming into the foreign atmosphere
of court scared" and uninformec
as to the procedures.
Welcome Delegates
Associate Justice Harold M. Step.
hens of the United States Court o1
Appeals welcomed the members oi
conference and delegates, including
prominent laymen, in the absence
of Chief Justice D. Lawrence Gro.
ner.
Presiding at the morning session
was Attorney George Maurice Nor.
ris, and Attorney Wilton w. King
conducted the afternoon meeting
Others who led discussions in.
cluded James Craig Peacock, Jear
Boardman, John Alexander, Charles
H. Houston, Francis w. Hill, Mrs
Irene Kennedy, Carroll Hunter, Ar.
thur w. Scharfeld, David G. Bress
Edmund L. Jones, George E. C.
Hayes, Al Philip Kane and Franz
II. Myers.
The judges of the conference viii
hold a closed session on Monday
They include jurists of the Unitee
States Court of Appeals and Dis.
trict Court, and retired justices.