Evening star., 1951-05-22

Judge CockriIrs Decree, on Editorial.
Poee Alb
she issued the order shutting of
most court information because
information has be.a getting to
sources that have been using it
against the child" Judge Cockrill
is in Wilmington attending a
conference.
She refused to identify these
sources" or to say how they were
using the information.
Shaw Issues Statement.
In another development G. How
land Shaw, former Assistant Sec
retary of State and chairman Of
a citizens Juvenile Court Advisory
Committee, issued a personal
statement declaring that Judge
Cockrill's information order in
effect sets up an Iron curtain"
between the court and the COM
agencies with which the
court should closely cooperate.
1t has been widely rumored that
Judge Cockrill placed the infor-
nation ban to force amendments
in the Juvenile Court Act.
At present, the law provides that
Juvenile Court records shall be
open to inspection by respond
Ients, their parents or guardians,
or their duly authorized attorneys,
but otherwise only by order of the
District Court of the United States
for the District of Columbia"
Judge Cockrill said she wanted
this discretion in the hands of her
own court rather than District
Court, and if she couldn't have it,
then it should be with the Court Of
Appeals.
Social Files Shut Off.
! Her new order has shut off the
social files and case history of
Juvenile Court clients so that even
District Court cannot authorize
that they be opened. District
Court, however, can order that the
records of legal proceedings be
Iopened for inspection.
Judge Cockrillis proposal to get
the final say on what records can
be inspected brought immediate
response from District Court
Judges. They said the reason this
discretion was left with District
Court was so that some other
judicial body could review the
Juvenile Courts decisions on what
information could be made avail
able.
One judge commented tartly
that if Judge Cockrill was inter-
ested in having full control of the
records. she was going about it
in an odd way when she shut off
previously available information.
Private as well as public well
fare agencies. along with other
Judges, police and District Court
probation officers are protesting
the order which Judge Cockrill
issued earlier this month. The
order was kept secret until re-
Ivealed Sunday in The Star.
Judge Cockrill said she had not
intended that persons entitled to
information or agencies for which
it was necessary should be cut
of from 1t. She said she wasn't
happy about the situation and
that there were apparent "mis-
understandings"
When she returns tomorrow
afternoon, she added. she will
consult first with her staff and
then try to "straighten out" tbs
other agencies.
Judge Cockrill said it seems
quite possible at this point" that
her own employees are not clear
on what was intended.
On the other hand, she said she
aaQ Ilao no protests from atfected
agencies.
Welfare Director Gerard M.
Shea, when questioned by The
Star on that point. said he had
called the judge last Friday and
read to her worldly word the de-
tailed complaints from his aides
about her order.
Conference Last Fall.
Judge Cockrill said she had dis
IcusSed the whole thing with the
Board of Public Welfare last Oc-
Itober and new procedures affect
ing that agency were put into
effect at that time.
Mr.. Shea said he knew of no
discussion between the judge and
Continued on Page A-4. Col. A.
kg~ cG csl