pensation for his services but said council and the several members thereof shall be allowed from the state treasury out of any appropriation made for the purpose such expenses for clerical and other services, travel and incidentals as the governor and council shall approve.

North Carolina

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1. There shall be created a judicial conference for the continuous study of the organization, rules and methods of practice and procedure of the judicial system of the State of North Carolina, and the practical working and results produced by the system.

Sec. 2. The conference shall be composed of the Judges of the Supreme and Superior courts, the attorney-general, and one practicing attorney-at-law from each judicial district to be appointed by the governor, for a term of two years. Any vacancy in the judicial conference among the. practicing attorneys caused by death or otherwise, shall be filled by the governor. The chief justice of the Supreme Court shall be the president of the conference, and the clerk of the Supreme Court shall be the secretary of the conference.

Sec. 3 The conference shall report annually to the governor the work of the various parts and branches of the judicial system, with its recommendations as to any changes or reforms in the system and in the practice and procedure of the courts, and the governor shall transmit the report of the conference biennially to the general assembly with such recommendations as he may deem advisable. The conference may also from time to time submit such suggestions and recommendations as it may deem advisable for the consideration of the judges of the various courts with relation to rules of practice and procedure. The clerks of the various courts and other officials shall make to the conference such reports on such matters and in such form, periodically or from time to time, as the conference may prescribe.

Sec. 4. The conference shall meet twice each year, at a time and place to be fixed by the president of the conference. The conference may hold public meetings and shall have power to administer oaths and require the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of not less than two of the justices of the Supreme court, six judges of the Superior Court, and six of the attorneys at law who are members of the conference.

Sec. 5. No member of the conference shall receive any compensation for his services. The sum of not exceeding two hundred and fifty ($250) dollars annually is appropriated for clerical help and incidentals to be paid out of the treasury upon the order of the president of the conference, approved by the state auditor.

tion.

Sec. 6. This act shall be in force from and after its ratifica

North Dakota

An Act Creating a Judicial Council for the State of North Dakota, and Providing for the Continuous Study of the Administration of Justice.

Section 1. JUDICIAL COUNCIL ESTABLISHED. There is hereby established a judicial council which shall consist of all judges of the supreme and district courts of the state, one judge of the county court to be chosen by the supreme court, the attorney general, the dean of the school of law of the state university, and five members of the bar who are engaged in the practice of law, who shall be chosen by the executive committee of the state bar association.

Section 2. TERM OF OFFICE. The judges of the supreme and district courts, the attorney general and the dean of the school of law of the state unievrsity shall hold office as members of the council during the time they occupy their respective official positions. The terms of the office of the county judge chosen by the supreme court, and of the members of the bar, shall be two years, commencing on the first Monday of January of odd-numbered years. A vacancy shall be filled by the authority originally selecting the member.

Section 3. ORGANIZATION OF COUNCIL. The chief justice during his term as chief justice shall be chairman of the council. An executive secretary shall be chosen by the council either from within or without the council. The council shall make rules for its procedure and the conduct of its business.

Section 4. MEETINGS. The council shall meet at least twice in each year at such times and places as shall be fixed by the council, provided that the first meeting shall be held at such time and place as the chief justice shall designate and within six months after the taking effect of this act.

Section 5. DUTIES. The judicial council is to make a continuous study of the operation of the judicial system of the state, to the end that procedure may be simplified, business expedited and justice better administered.

Section 6. HEARINGS. The council may hold public meetings and hearings and shall have power to require the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and documents. The district court shall have power to enforce obedience to subpoenas issued by the council and to compel the giving of testimony. Each member of the council shall have power to administer oaths in any hearing or investigation instituted by the council.

Section 7. BUREAU OF STATISTICS. The council shall have the power to organize a bureau of statistics for the purpose of gathering information relating to crime and criminal and civil litigation. Judges, state's attorneys, sheriffs, the attorney general, clerks of the district courts, the state board of administration, the superintending officers of penal and reformatory institutions and of asylums and other places of detention, and all other state, county and municipal officers, boards and commissions, shall render to the council such reports as it may request on matters within the scope of its powers. The clerks of the district courts of the state shall prepare a

statement semi-annually under the seal of the court showing the number of cases filed, the number of cases ready for trial and the number of cases tried during the preceding period of six months, together with such additional information as may be required by the council; and such statement shall be forwarded to the judicial council not later than January first and July first each year.

Section 8. REPORT. The judicial council shall submit to the governor not later than the first day of December of each even numbered year a report upon the work of the various branches of the judicial system of the state. The council may recommend to the governor or to the legislative assembly such measures as it shall deem advisable and may from time to time submit for the consideration of the supreme court suggestions regarding rules of practice and procedure.

Section 9. MEETING OF JUDGES. Immediately following each meeting of the judicial council the judges of the supreme and district courts shall assemble for the purpose of considering matters relating to the administration of justice, including recommendations and complaints submitted to them concerning the business of the courts and their officers.

Section 10. COMPENSATION. No member of the council shall receive compensation for any services rendered by him in such capacity; but any necessary expense incurred by any judge of the district and supreme courts in the discharge of his duties as a member shall be deemed expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of his office and paid as such; the expenses of all other members of the council shall be audited and paid from the State Bar Fund in the same manner as other claims against such fund.

Section 11. REPEAL. All acts or parts of acts in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

Ohio

Section 1. There shall be a judicial council of nine members for the continuous study of the organization, rules and methods of procedure and practice of the judicial system of the State of Ohio, the work accomplished and the results produced by that system and its various parts. The term of office of members of the council shall be three years. This council shall be composed of the chief justice of the supreme court and two associate judges of the supreme court; the chief justice of the court of appeals of the state; one common pleas judge to be selected by the common pleas judges of the state at a meeting to be held the first January following the passage of this act and every three years thereafter; one municipal judge to be selected by the municipal judges of the state at a meeting to be held the first January following the passage of this act and every three years thereafter; and three practicing attorneys at law to be appointed by the governor. The chief justice of the Supreme Court shall be the president of the council.

Section 2. A vancancy in the judicial council by death, resignation, removal from office, failure of a person appointed to qualify within ten days after the organization of the council or of his ap

pointment, shall be filled by the council by a majority vote of all the remaining members of the council, at the next meeting following such vacancy.

Section 3. The council shall report biennially to the General Assembly of the work of the various branches of the judicial system with its recommendations for modification of existing conditions. It may also from time to time submit such suggestions as it may deem advisable for the consideration of the judges of the various courts with relation to rules and practices and procedure. The clerks of the various courts and other officials shall make to the council such reports on such matters and in such form periodically, or from time to time, as the council may prescribe.

Section 4. The council may hold public hearings and shall have power to administer oaths and require the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and documents. A witness who gives false testimony or fails to appear when duly summoned shall be subject to the same penalties to which a witness before a court is subject, and the same shall be imposed by the supreme court or any judge of the court of common pleas.

Section 5. No member of said council shall receive any compensation for his services. The council and the several members thereof shall be allowed from the state treasury such expenses for clerical and other services, travel and incidentals as the council and the governor shall approve. All disbursements shall be by voucher signed by the president of the council, and shall not exceed one thousand dollars per year.

Rhode Island

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

Section 1. A judicial council is hereby created for the study of the organization, rules and methods of procedure and practice, of the judicial system of the state and all matters relating to the administration of said system and its several departments of service. The judicial council shall consist of the chief justice of the supreme court or some other justice or former justice of that court designated by him from time to time to serve on said council; the presiding justice of the superior court or some other justice or former justice of that court designated by him from time to time to serve on said council; a justice or associate justice of a district court and three attorneys admitted to practice in the courts of this state and actively engaged in such practice, who shall be appointed by the governor. The four members of said council first appointed by the governor shall serve until the first day of February, 1931, and in the month of January, 1931, and in said month every fourth year thereafter the governor shall appoint members of said council to succeed those whose terms are about to expire, and to serve until the first day of February in the fourth year after their appointment. Any vacancy that shall occur in the membership of said council appointed by the governor shall be filled by another appointment by him for the remainder of the term. The chief justice of the supreme court or justice or former justice of said court who may be designated by

him to be a member of said council shall be chairman thereof, and shall call said council together for organization within thirty days after the appointment of all its members.

Sec. 2. The judicial council may from time to time submit for the consideration of the justices of the various courts such suggestions in regard to rules of practice and procedure as it may deem advisable and it shall report annually to the governor on or before December the fifteenth upon such matters as it desires to bring to his attention or to the attention of the general assembly. In such report to the governor for the year 1927 the council shall present its opinion as to the need of additional justices of the superior court. Sec. 3. The members of said council shall serve without compensation and the general assembly shall annually appropriate such sum as it may deem necessary for clerical assistance and other necessary expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this act, and the state auditor is hereby directed to draw his order upon the general treasurer for the payment of such sum or so much thereof as may from time to time be necessary, upon receipt by him of proper vouchers approved by the chairman of said council.

Sec. 4. For the purpose of carrying this act into effect during the fiscal year ending November 30, 1927, the sum of $500 is hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated and the state auditor is hereby authorized and directed to draw his orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sum or so much thereof as may be from time to time necessary upon receipt by him of proper vouchers approved by the chairman of said council.

Sec. 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Virginia

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be the duty of the president of the Supreme Court of appeals of Virginia, or in case of his disability, of one of the judges of the supreme court, in order of their seniority, to summon annually to a judicial council, on the first Wednesday in December, at Richmond, or at such other time and place in the state as may be designated in the said summons, not less than three or more than five circuit judges, and not less than two or more than three of the judges of other courts of record, and ten members of the bar of the supreme court of appeals, one from each congressional district of the state.

If for any cause the judges so summoned are unable to attend, the president of the supreme court or the judges calling the council may fill their places by summoning any other judges of courts of record who are able to attend. It shall be the duty of every judge thus sommoned to attend said conference and to remain throughout its proceedings, unless excused by the presiding judge, and to advise as to any matters in respect of which in their opinion the administration of justice in the courts of this Commonwealth may be improved. If any member of the bar thus summoned cannot