Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-05
Former School
Likely 10 Serve
ExpandedCourt
Rental for New
Judges to Increase
JudieioYts 'Moze'

Clldl grammar SCHOOL ana convent
on the East Side of Judiciary
Square into a courthouse to be
occupied by judges from two sep.
arate branches of the local court
system appeared assured today.
Agents for the old st. Patrick's
Grammar School and Convent
buildings, 515-19 Fourth street
NV. submitted the only bic
opened by the General Services
Agency that met specifications
laid down in a call for 10000 feet
OF rental space in the Judiciary
Square area.
Frank Fuller of the Washington
Housing Corp. offered to lease
some $4,000 square feet of space
in the building to the Federal
Government for $14,400 a year.
The only other bid from the
Judiciary Square area was SUBJ
mitted by agents for the Columbia
Building. 416 Fifth street NV.
which offered 1889 square feet for
$5,139.35.
Bid Acceptance Expected.
{ Chief Judge Bolitha j.. Laws,
who has the responsibility of find
ing sitting down" space for the
six newly appointed Federal
judges, inspected the old school
buildings last week to determine
II their interiors could be re-
modelled into two temporary
courtrooms and chambers for five
judges.
Acceptance of the Washington
Housing Corp. bid is expected to
be a Formally, which will be ex-
pedited with all possible haste.
Two of the th,Se new District
Court judges are scheduled to be
sworn in next week. James r.
Kirkland will take his judicial oath
Monday. and Mrs. Burnita S. Mat
thews will be sworn in Wednesday.
Charles F. Mclaughlin will take
the oath Of Office on November Is.
Appointment of three additional
Judges for Municipal Court. ex-
pected shortly, will intensity the
judicial space jam.
Plans Space Assignment.
Under present plans, Judge Laws
plans to assign two of the new
District Court judges to the old
grammar school, where they will
have their own courtrooms, cham
bers and Office space for clerks.
BY taking two Offices away from
District Attorney George Morris
Fay and using a large jury assem-
bly, room on the third floor of the
District Court Building, Judge
Laws plans to establish a court
room and chambers for the third
new judge.
What to do with the new judges
while workmen are preparing their
courtrooms remains an unsolved
problem. One proposal is to
establish swing shifts" with
three judges coming on duty. in
mfdafternoon to keep court open
until night. Another proposal
would be to use hearings rooms in
Federal buildings as temporary
courtrooms. One of the rooms Of
the United States Court of Tax
Appeals is said to be under con-
sideration.
Whatever solution is found, the
look of bewilderment on the faces
OF new jurors, f1rst-tim witnesses
and other neophytes in the Dis
trict's judicial maze. as they wan
der back and forth across Judic-
larry Square, is sure to deepen.
Witnesses Redirected.
As things are now, three District
Court judges. including Chief
Judge Laws, have their courtrooms
In the Criminal Division of Mu-
nicipal Court. Much of their
time is spent hearing civil cases.
A witness called to appear in a
civil case in District Court us
ually goes directly to the District
Courthouse. There he is told
that Judge Blank is sitting in
Municipal Court. Outside, the
witness asks the way to Municipal
Court.
Civil or Criminal branch?" he
IS asked, Since he is to appear
In a civil suit the witness usually
finds himself in the Civil Division
of Municipal Court. OF course,
no one there ever heard of his
case so he is sent back to the Dis
trict Courthouse.
In the future he is likely to be
sent to the grammar school"
courthouse. ......... -'... ~.
A further complication is the
shifting of courts such as MO
lions Court" When judges with
chambers in the District Court re-
ceive this assignment, motions are
heard in the courtroom next to
the Office of the motions clerk.
But when any one of the three
District Court judges in the Mu-
nicipal Courthouse has the mo-
tions assignment. the motions
clerk shuttles back and forth.
Soon 1t will be a three-way
shuttle.
Air-cOOled Chambers.
The three new United Estates
Court of Appeals judges-George
T. Washington, David L. Bazelon
and Charles Fahy-will have their
chambers in the grammar
school" courthouse under present
plans, but they will sit in the
courtroom in the Court of Appeals
Building.
q Only the three new Municipal
court judges, as yet unappointed,
IRE sure of finding modern, air.
cooled courtrooms and spacious
md comfortable chambers.
y One courtroom on the third
Aoor of the Criminal Division
building has been reserved for
use of visiting Federal judges. 1t
was there that the trial of Judith
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