Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-17
Family Court
Spurs Interest
In Committee
Some Leon Toward
Suggestion for
Municipal Branch


influential members of the House
look with favor upon legislation
that would improve the domestic
relations situation in the WASH
ington courts.
While there is no assurance
that the pending Family Court
bill will be enacted. at least some
members of the House District
Judiciary subcommittee private
ly expressed interest in modern
izing legal procedures in divorce,
maintenance and custody cases.
One veteran Representative
said several subcommittee MEM
hers have been attracted to a
suggestion that separate do
nestle relations branch be added
to Municipal Court. This would
require the appointment of three
new judges with exclusive juris-
diction in the field.
The pending bill, on which the
House subcommittee held hear
ings Monday and yesterday.
would create en- entirely separate
Family Court to take over the
heavy domestic relations docket
now handled by the U. S. Dis
trict Court for the District Of
Columbia.
Court Branch Suggested
Chief Judge Leonard P. Walsh
of Municipal Court told the sub
committee yesterday he and all
of his associate judges indorse
the detectives of the bill but
believe that, if Congress relieves
District Court of domestic re-
lations work. it should assign
the job to a special branch Of
Municipal Court. Judge Walsh
said he opposes the creation OF
another independent court.
Through questions and COM
ment, both Chairman Harris.
Democrat of Arkansas, and Rep
resentative O'Hara. Republican
of Minnesota. indicated interest
in the proposition.
The separate Family Court
idea has been Endorsed repeat
edly by all judges of United
States District Court, the United
States District Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia and
members of the Supreme Court.
1t also is backed by 81 civic and
church organizations. The Sen
ate passed the bill last year, but
the House took no action at that
time.
The docket in Municipal Court
is current. The docket in District
Court is many months behind.
There is general agreement that,
unless domestic relations cases
are taken away from District
Court, Congress will have to
authorize three additional judge
ships to carry the load there.
Lawyer Speaks for Plan
Attorney Edward Bennett VIII
liams, appearing yesterday as a
witness for members of the Dis
trict bar who favor the Family
Court bill. declared the measure
would improve the administra-
ton of justice.
He contended there now is in
adequate provision for the well
fare of 5000 children involved
each year in custody cases here.
He said the new court would cor
rect that by having a staff of do
nestle relations workers con-
Quoting independent investiga-
tions on which the judges could
base sound decisions.
| Mr.. Williams said everyone
would benefit by the establish
ment of an agency in Family
Court to collect maintenance
payments from husbands and
diSburse the money to wives and
children. The attorney says ex-
perience shows 81 per cent of the
delinquent husbands here make
payments as soon as they are
"nudged" by the court. But I'M
der present practice they are not
nudged until the wife's lawyer
presses for a contempt citation.
Another witness yesterday was
Judge Edward A. Tamm of the
| U. S. District Court. He di-
rected attention principally to
the costs involved in three al
ternatives:
/. Add three judges to the
bench of District Court-Salaries
for judges, secretaries. clerks,
bailiffs, court reporters and
messengers would total S142,215
annually. The cost of operating
the domestic relations staff there
is $37,530. So the grand total
under District Court would be
$179,795.
2, Create a separate Family
Court-Salaries of judges and
staff would amount to $129,06O.
Operating costs would remain
the same land the grand total
would be I 166,640.
3. Create a new domestic rela-
tons branch in Municipal Court
salaries Of all personnel esti-
mated at $112,050 Operating
costs the same. making a grand
total annually of $149,63O.
Groups Send Backing
Statements indorsing the legis-
lation were filed on behalf Of
several organizations and in
dividuals. Among them were
letters from Bruce Baird, on be-
half Of the Washington Board
of Trade; the United Community
Services, the League of Women
Voters. the Washington Fedora
tinY, NJ Nb,,rnbac p,,hI;, yIyaIfora