Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-12
Juvenile Judgeship
Hearings Planned
Definite Date
Not Yet Set by
House Group
ny JAMES @. DEANE
star stan Writer

49, $3.50 WeeN~A
New hearings within the next
few weeks on the much-debated
Juvenile Court judgeship issue
are being planned in the House
District Committee.
Representative Davis. Demo-
crat Of Georgia. confirmed the
hearing plan today. The ses-
sions may be scheduled about
the middle Of next month. but
Mr.. Davis said no definite date
has yet been settled. Il
Representative Kearns Of
Pennsylvania. ranking Repub-
lean on the subcommittee
headed by Mr.. Davis. which
buttoned up a judgeship bill at
this session of Congress, dis
closed that the unit intends to
|go into the Juvenile Court sit
uation In detail before making
Recommendations on proposed
municipal judgeships.
The Senate In April passed
legislation to increase a one
judge court to three. The Davis
unit did not clear the bill for
action by its parent committee.
however.
Action Blocked
The matter came up for
brief discussion at q meeting
of the District Committee yes
terday, but Mr.. Kearns blocked
any possible action with o
point Of order. The subject was
raised just before the House
went into session, and House
rules forbid continuing COM
mittee meetings without spe-
cial permission after the
House meets.
Mr.. Kearns. who said he in
tends to be on hand for the
inquiry. indicated support for
additional judges.
II feel we could well justify
three additional judges In the
Juvenile Court" he said.
But he strongly backed the
idea Of further study first, es-
Ipecially with regard to the
courts jurisdiction and the age
of offenders brought before it.
II feel we have to get the
age limit changed" he said.
II want to put 1t at Is years."
Adults ut Is
IF we had IL new judges
we still couldn't rectify this
thing" he said in commenting
on the large case load which
has been q principal argument
for enlarging the number Of
judges in the court.
These kids are adults at IS
today. They know they're COM
uniting crimes. I think well
set up q code Of ethics and
procedure. Juvenile Court pro-
lcedures are outmoded," Mr..
Kearns asserted.
Mr.. Davis also indicated par
lticular interest in the question
Of the age bracket Of offenders
dealt with by the court. While
he said the planned inquiry viii
be concerned with all aspects
Of the courts operation. par
ticular attention viii be de-
voted to the age question and
to the possibility Of shifting
some offenders now dealt with
by the Juvenile Court to the
adult courts.
Now Up to Is
Juvenile Court now has juris.
diction over offenders up to IL
except when it chooses to waive
this jurisdiction. Mr.. Davis said
the subcommittee viii consider
whether the age ceiling should
be lowered to Is or IS.
The investigation also will
concern itself with the use Of
juries, rights Of counsel, liaisor
with governmental agencies
and the adequacy Of present
penalties. the subcommittee
chairman said. Mr.. Davis, .
former Judge, declined to com.
NIT himself on what impact thl
inquiry might have on the movs
to increase the number Of
Judges. He said he thought thu
unit, however, would make
Recommendations as to whai
is needed" for improvement Of
the city's handling Of youthful
offenders,