Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-07

the average civil case beyond six
months after the action is COM
menced should be considered ex-
cessive."
AS Of the end of last year,
civil cases were coming to trial
here before a jury % months
after being put on the calendar.
The court does not keep a rec
ord of how much time elapses
between the time a suit is filed
and is put on the calendar, but
IdelayS-mostly by the attorneys
involved-can amount to as
much as six to eight months.
Divorce Case Delay
In District Court here, non
jury cases which can be pre-
tried, were taking 20 months to
reach a judge; contested divorce
cases were taking "a months,
and uncontested divorce cases,
seven months, as of the end of
the year.
The Attorney Generals group,
in a report made public today,
believes that if an appeal is
taken. the case should be argued
and decided within six months
after the lower court decision.
In the United States Court of
Appeals here. an average of 13
months elapses from the time
the notice of appeal is filed un-
til the complete record is filed
in the upper court. From filing
of the record to disposition takes
another 10 months.
Before reaching a sweeping set
of recommendations aimed at ex-
Ipediting justice, the new ma
tional group on court conges-
ton warned:
THE inordinate lapse of time
between the institution of suits
and their final disposition in
many Of our State and Federal
courts constitutes threat to
the effective administration of
justice in this country.
Fear Unjust Settlements
Excessive delay may result in
the denial of reparation for
wrongs. 1t may force parties into
unjust settlements. 1t involves
the risk that some witnesses may
die or become otherwise unavail-
able and the virtual certainty
that the memories of others will
become dim before legal rights
which are dependent on their
testimony can be resolved.
Prolonged and unjustified de-
lay is the major weakness of our
judicial system today"
Unless effective action is taken
to curb delays in justice. the re-
port added, lit may further de-
teriorate and result in bringing
the administration of justice in
this country into disrepute."
! The leaders of the bench and
bar brought together by the At
torney General for concerted
Nationwide drive against court
congestion recommended as i'm
mediate detectives:
!. For the State courts. the
establishment of a central adj
ministrator in each State with
power to assign State judges
where they are needed most;
maintenance of uniform and up
to-date court statistics: adoption
Of modern rules of court: estab-
lishment of businesslike methods
for supervising court calendars
and frequent conferences be-
tween judges and lawyers to en-
courage cooperation in a more
efficient administration of JUS
tice.
Urge SIS New Judgeships
2. For the Federal courts, leg
islation to provide that chief
judges of Federal circuit and dis
trict courts should relinquish
their administrative duties when
they reach 10; creation of 35 adj
ditional district court judgeships
throughout the country. two ad-
ditional circuit judgeships and
permanence for four temporary
judgeships.
3. For the courts as whole,
recommendation that Congress
invite the Chief Justice of the