Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 25.pdf/378

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The Legal World deed in St. Louis County have Crane on Them instead of Crehan She was another Aunt and well well if Old King Aladdon Himself got it there could not have been any more ring around the rosying than has been done to protect (Who) well well I do not know what kind of dope is used but it must be the

opposite to proving anything well I. ll cast this on the waters. J. Mahoney 4553 Cottage Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. P.S. She had no children. [Perhaps some of our readers can supply our correspondent with the in formation he desires. —Ed.]

The Legal Monthly Analysis of Leading Legal Events Several encouraging indications have occurred which show that the movement for reform of procedure is making pro gress. Massachusetts has adopted a law designed to simplify procedure by providing for more prompt disposition of cases with regard to the substantial rights of the parties, namely, by obvi ating the necessity for new trials in cases where it is possible for the appellate court to render a just decision by giving judgment on the findings of the jury in the lower court. Notwithstanding what unfavorable inferences might be drawn from the failure of the recommendations of the law reform committee of the Iowa State Bar Association to enlist support, the state of Iowa has adopted several laws this year which tend to relieve congestion and to improve procedure; while the new statute designed to remedy the evil of reversals for merely technical errors arising from improper instruc tions to the jury may make the trial in the lower court a little longer, it is likely also to relieve the appellate court. The effect may be much the same as that of the new Texas statute, which abolishes assignments of error as un necessary and requires the appellate court to examine the case for error upon the motion for a new trial solely; this law is expected to relieve the Texas

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appellate courts of considerable labor. The new Texas law making it necessary for all objections to the instructions to be taken in writing before they are given to the jury will also do away with one of the most fruitful causes of new trials and reversals. Particularly gratifying is the effort Massachusetts is making to improve its penal system by creating parole and pardon boards with important functions. The beneficial influence of the new chairman of the Prison Commissioners, Mr. Randall, the expert who was re cently brought to Massachusetts from Minnesota, is already evident in the passage of this measure. Iowa has a new law permitting the pardon of first offenders before commitment, while under sentence, a law that at least springs from a humane tendency whether correct in principle or not. The action that Iowa has taken to secure the nonpartisan nomination and election of all judges on a separate ballot may well serve as a model for other states. The decisions of the United States Supreme Court indicate a disposition to broaden rather than to narrow the scope of the Sherman anti-trust act and to sustain legislation fixing maxi mum railway rates not proved to be confiscatory by the clearest and most