Evening star., 1948-01-10
e' Chief Justice Laws
A Tribute to the Character and Achievements of the
Presiding Judge of the District Court
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tee on Improving the Administration Of Justice.
Then he procured place on the program Of
the judicial Conference OF his circuit for a
lay speaker. Next he began to write and speak
upon the subject. 1t was largely at his In
stance that layman addressed our association
at its recent annual meeting. He is still at
work on advancing and perfecting this idea
The latest undertaking Of the chief justice
sprang from an experience he had on the
bench In q case. He sat in the criminal trial Of
newly returned veteran Of the war. His OBJ
servation OF the defendant led him to con-
viction that the courts owe these men the
highest degree Of care in disposing Of charges
made against them in their postwar life. He
instituted an inquiry into the consequences of
war experience upon young mans mental and
emotional makeup. He wrote an editorial on
the subject for the March t1947) issue Of this
Journal. The point was made in these words:
"He may be q villain; and in such case, the
mere fact that he is veteran should not deter
just punishment. But II fair investigation Of
wrong by veteran is reasonably traceable to
or can be associated in some manner with his
narrowing experiences in fighting for his coun-
try, the case demands special treatment" )"
This program is still under Judge Laws In
sistence.
In the midst Of all these special projects
Judge Laws has continued his share Of the
regular work of his own court and Of the Emer-
gency Court Of Appeals. In the latter capacity
he has sat in every section of the United States
His opinions reflect careful deliberation and
fine grasp of the intricaces Of the economic
and legal problems presented by national war
time price control.
The administrative ability Of the Chief JUS
tice and the diligence of his associates are
reflected In the state Of the calendar of the
District Court. In the last fiscal year that
court disposed Of 9,555 cases. OF civil cases
pending at the end Of the year, only about
one-fourth are more than six months old, and
Of the older cases more than one-half were
divorce actions. On the criminal side only 169
cases were available for trial on July l, 1947,
and Of these only fve were more than six
months old.
On the trial bench Judge Laws acts with the
complete assurance of man at home In the
courtroom and one with varied personal ex-
perience in the affairs Of life. He himself has
been both poor and prosperous, he has both
prosecuted and defended, he has conducted
trials, argued appeals and advised corporate
clients In his office. He has served both the
Government and private persons as counsel
One of the most gregarious and fun-loving OF
men, he never loses an innate dignity which
prevents presumption even in the most In
formal circumstances. H.
This man is q rare combination Of skills as
lawyer, trial Judge, student and administrator.
In these days of concern over the judicial
office, contemplation Of this incumbent Is q
timely reinsurance to the bar and to the public
generally. So long as the bench can attract
and hold such men as Bo Laws, neither the
community nor the bar need be disturbed
about the strength Of the foundation Of the
American system.