Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 52.djvu/147

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PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 43 -MAR . 5, 1938 Certification of cases before munici- pal court to branch for conciliation. Completion of trial or recertification. Stay of entry of judgment; partial payments until satis- fied. Stay of execution vacated for failure to meet installment. Remedies for en- forcing judgment. Claims for wages or personal services. Examination, court orders. Daily record transactions. Monthly report Attorney General. of to Provisions applica- ble to practice. Rules of procedure. Forms. Sessions. Review of judg- ments. for more than the jurisdictional limit of said branch but within the jurisdictional limit of this court, the action shall nevertheless remain in said branch and be tried therein in its entirety. SEC. 10. Whenever the interests of justice shall seem to require it, and all parties consent thereto, any judge of the municipal court may certify any case to said branch for conciliation, or to endeavor to obtain a complete or partial agreed statement of facts or stipulation, which will simplify and expedite the ultimate trial of the case. The trial of any such case if all parties consent may be completed in said branch or in the absence of such consent shall be recertified to another judge of the court for trial. SEC. 11. When judgment is to be rendered and the party against whom it is to be entered requests it, the judge shall inquire fully into the earnings and financial status of such party and shall have full discretionary power to stay the entry of judgment, and to stay exe- cution, except in cases involving wage claims, and to order partial payments in such amounts, over such periods, and upon such terms, as shall seem just under the circumstances and as will assure a defi- nite and steady reduction of the judgment until it is finally and com- pletely satisfied. Upon a showing that such party has failed to meet any installment payment without just excuse, the stay of execution shall be vacated. When no stay of execution has been ordered or when such stay of execution has been vacated as provided herein, the party in whose favor the judgment has been entered shall have the right to avail himself of all remedies otherwise available in said municipal court for the enforcement of such judgment. SEC. 12. In all cases where the judgment is founded in whole or in part on a claim for wages or personal services the judge shall, upon motion of the party obtaining judgment, order the appearance of the party against whom such judgment has been entered, but not more often than once each four weeks for oral examination under oath as to his financial status and his ability to pay such judgment, and the judge shall make such supplementary orders as may seem just and proper to effectuate the payment of the judgment upon reasonable terms. SEC. 13. The clerk of said branch shall maintain an accurate daily record of all transactions had therein and shall prepare and transmit to the Attorney General of the United States a monthly report in detail showing the number and nature of all such transactions. SEC. 14 . Al provisions of law relating to the municipal court and the rules of the municipal court shall apply to the practice herein so far as they may be made applicable and are not in conflict with the provisions of this Act or with the rules hereunder promulgated. In case of conflict the provisions of this Act and the rules hereunder promulgated shall control. SEC. 15. The judges of the municipal court shall forthwith make rules to provide for a simple, inexpensive, and speedy procedure to effectuate the purposes of this Act and shall have power to pre- scribe, modify, and improve the forms to be used therein, from time to time, to insure the proper administration of justice and to accom- plish the purposes of this Act. SEC. 16. The small-claims branch with a judge in attendance shall be open for the transaction of business on every day of the year except Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and legal holidays, and shall also hold at least one night session during each week. SEC. 17. Nothing in this Act contained shall deprive any party of the right now existing to petition the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia for a writ of error to review any judg- ment rendered in said branch of said municipal court. 106 [52 STAT.