Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-13
YOUTH COURT
Prettymon
Halls Plan
For Study
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG
Star STAFF Writer

Chief Judge E. Barrett Pref
lyman of the Court of Appeals
here today welcomed the pros
pect of a House hearing into
Juvenile Court problems and
predicted it would convince
Congressman of the need for
additional judges for the over
worked court.
Chairman Davis of a House
District subcommittee disclosed
yesterday that he plans hear
ings inquiring into the Juvenile
Court set-up, with the need for
additional judges among the
questions to be explored.
Judge Prettyman, as head Of
the Judicial Conference here,
appointed a 20-member COM
mittee to study the Juvenile
Court crisis and subsequently
testified himself before the
Senate District Committee on
legislation for a three-judge
court. The measure passed the
Senate in April.
Stresses Prompt Action
interviewed just before leav-
ing for a judicial seminar at
Boulder, Colo, Judge Pretty
man Endorsed the proposed
court study to bring 20-year-
old laws up to date, but empha-
sized the need for immediate
action Ito keep the court from
begging down completely"
He said he was delighted
that Chairman Davis-a for
mer judge himself - shortly
would begin hearings on the
Juvenile Court situation.
He has always been keenly
interested in the problem of
juvenile delinquency and of
means of combating it,"
Judge Prettyman recalled. LAS
a matter of fact, I believe he
was one of the first to foresee
the need for additional judge
power in that court, sponsoring
a bill for that purpose in the
last Congress.
Il realize that he is a busy
Congressman with many COM
mittee assignments, but this
only increases our appreciation
of his giving time and interest
to our problems here"
2 Parts of Problem
Judge Prettyman said groups
already embarked on a study
of Juvenile Court needs, in
Guiding the District Council on
Law Enforcement and the Ju-
dicial Conference Committee.
have come quickly to the con-
clusion that the problem has
two distinct parts.
One" he explained, lis a
study of all aspects of the
present law and procedure,
which are now over 90 years
old. This includes such mat
tiers a sage limits, formal vers-
us informal proceedings, secret
versus public proceedings, wal
verS, rights to jurieS. counsel
and so on, and also the adult
cases which this court handles
and which concerns disputes
over paternity and the liabil-
tiles of abSconding fathers.
Such a study will obviously
take time and research. These
committees of ours have al
ready started on that task.
In the meantime, it seems
quite clear that something
drastic has to be done immedi-
ately to keep the court from
begging down completely.
Load Much Greater
THE work has so increased
in the past 20 years that one
judge simply cannot give any
thing but surface conSidera-
'rubber-Stamp justice I
believe they call ito the
hundreds of cases he has.
The authorities combating
juvenile delinquency here IN
Washington are being denied
the effective assistance of a
court in their efforts.
80 we all feel that at least
two more judges ought to be
put on that court at once so
that the police and other law
enforcement officers may have
available a court to which they
can turn.
Il feel pretty sure that when
Judge Davis gets the overall
data. he will agree with our
analysis. In that event, I as
sumo he would at once forward
to the House a bill already
passed by the Senate for two
more judges and would at the
same time lay out a program
for a comprehensive study of
the whole long time needs in
this field.
ITO that end, he can be as
Sured of the enthusiastic CO.
operation of our Judicial Con-
ference and, I am sure. of all
the many people IN the COM
munity who have become aware
of this situation"