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6 Trial Judges J. 1 (1967)

handle is hein.journals/judgej6 and id is 1 raw text is: JANUARY, 1967

Vol. 6. No. 1

0~~~~~~' 0     M-0 00  0

A National Program for Reform in
Judicial Administration
By HONORABLE JOSEPH D. TYDINGS
United States Senator, Maryland
The courts of this country are themselves on trial.
They are accused, not of incompetence, but of a vice
that breeds its own kind of injustice-sluggishness. As
Chief Justice Warren charged in
a recent address to the American
Law Institute: Interminable and
unjustifiable delays in our courts
are ... corroding the very foun-
dations of Constitutional govern-
ment in the United States. Today,
because the legal remedies of
many of our people can be realized
only after they have sallowed with
Senator J. D. Tydings  the passage of time, they are mere
forms of justice. Our courts of
law should constitute one of the great cornerstones of
our democratic society, for they are designed as forums
for the peaceful resolution of disputes. An effective judi-
cial system, however, must resolve disputes swiftly if it
is to render real service to the people. If courts fail to
function with dispatch, they Will lose the confidence of
the people and perhaps, ultimately, encourage the resolu-
tion of disputes by less than peaceful means. Such a state
of affairs would surely spell chaos for any society.
As lawyers we are aware that our courts are con-
fronted with cases of unprecedented number and com-
plexity. Delay, however, is not an inevitable consequence
of this development. With determination and imagina-
tion-by breaking away from indifference and ancient
prejudices-we can meet the challenge. We are building
twentieth century highways to deal with congestion in
transportation. We can build twentieth century judicial
systems to deal with congestion in the courts.
Given the mandate of the Senate Judiciary Subcom-
mittee on Improvements in Judicial Machinery, of which
I am chairman, modernizing the federal judiciary has
been our primary concern. To this end, the Subcommit-
tee has undertaken a number of projects to help the
federal courts with the task of maintaining a modern
pace. Although we are constantly working to develop
new legislation that will enhance the federal judicial
process, the problems of state courts cannot be ignored.
It is in the state courts that most people have contact
with judicial process. If these courts falter, public respect
for courts, be they state or federal, must diminish in
proportion. We cannot expect the layman who has been
offended by delay in the courts to focus his sense of in-
justice on only one jurisdiction. Moreover, it should not
be overlooked that we often rely upon state courts to
(Continued on page 21)

Judge Wright, Stalwart Conference
Worker, Leaves the Bench
By JUDGE ANDREW W. PARNELL, Past Chairman,
National Conference of State Trial Judges
In mid-September the Honorable Eugene A. Wright
of Seattle, Washington, made the momentous decision
of submitting his resignation as Judge of the Superior
Court of the State of Washington to accept the appoint-
ment as Vice President and Trust Officer of The Pacific
National Bank of Seattle. He entered upon his new
duties November, 15, 1966.
The announcement of his judicial retirement came
as a surprise to his host of friends around the country, in
and out of the judiciary, who enjoyed the privilege of his
acquaintance and shared the knowledge of his outstand-
ing qualities as a trial judge. We
z   \ trust that his contributing influ-
ence will still pervade all programs
and activities that portend to im-
-  prove the administration of jus-
N tice and that his valuable associa-
:;    tion with the National Conference
and the National College of State
Trial Judges will continue.
..,. XHe had a most important de-
Judge E. A. Wright  cision to make and he made it.
After all, it was a Wright decision
and we must so accept it. We hope it carries for him all
of the benefits, pleasures and satisfactions he anticipates.
Judge Wright has a remarkable record of achieve-
ment. He graduated from the University of Washington
in 1934 and from its Law School in 1937. He practiced
law until he ascended to the trial bench. He fostered and
promoted many important improvements in the admin-
istration of his court and the Superior Court system of
his state. He served as an intelligence officer during
World War II in the South Pacific and continued to serve
as an army reserve colonel until his recent retirement.
He was a regular lecturer at the Washington Law School
for many years. He became a very vital part of the Na-
tional Conference of State Trial Judges upon its organ-
ization. He was named a member of the Book Commit-
tee, which was commissioned by the then chairman of
the Conference to prepare, edit and publish a book for
the state trial judges of the country. He was appointed a
member of the Advisory Committee to the Joint Com-
mittee for the Effective Administration of Justice and
participated in the management of the activities of that
committee until its termination. He was a frequent panel-
ist in judicial seminars sponsored by that committee in
all parts of the country.
(Continued on page 2)
CONTENTS, page 2.                              I

Trial Judges'Journal

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