| Show i stice w Courts Scored c I red as as Lax 1 axin in Reports LEGAL ACTION THREATENED ji 1 DY STATE FOR OR FAILURE 1 t T TO LIST TRAFFIC PENALTIES Only D Dozen zen ien of States State's Justices and City Tribunals Furnish Conviction Convict on Facts T Tax Commission Ch Charges Sf i W By BOB HALE Justices Justic s of of the peace beset lately by criticism of assert asserted d dl l leniency n in d dealing alig with it traffic offenders faced trouble e from y yet another Quarter Tuesday possible e court action against them for f failure t to comp comply y with laws laws lawson on reporting traffic convictions T Meanwhile justices of the peace In n Salt Lake county prepared d to call a meeting form forman fan organization organization tion for their own o protection n and reply collectively to the aSsertions asser- asser asker aSser- ions of leniency The latest development came when H. H P. P Leatham member of the he state tax commission said that only about a dozen of ot the approximately approximately approximately city and justice co courts of the state comply per cent with a st statute tute requiring reporting of traffic law convictions to the tax ax commission City Courts lilt Hit Too The commission depends upon courts furnishing this thIs' information for or its guidance in suspending and revoking drivers' drivers licenses City courts as well as ns justice of the peace courts came under the latest critical broadside Mr Leatham said the only remedy remedy remedy rem rem- edy of the situation outside court action as a last resort l is is' tomake to make it h hot t for these courts give them plenty 6 f publicity and figuratively figuratively figuratively fig fig- placard them for their failure to comply with the law It seems to be a case case of Indifference Indifference Indifference I ference rather than outright negle neglect t t he said We dont don't want to ta take court action against them S Laxity Charged When the new Utah state safety safety safey safe- safe ty y council gets functioning functioning- I believe believe be- be lieve we can put the heat on the offenders and get compliance with the l law w. w Mr Leatham said It is possible to launch court action such as mandamus proceedings to force co courts to make the required re reports reports reports re- re ports or even even to to start actions for removal of offending court If cases become too aggravated that may have to be done he said If it appears appears there is outright outright outright out out- right neglect we will have have to to do po something other han nan keep subjectIng subjecting subject subject- ct these publicitY ing The commission Mr Leath Leatham m rn charged has has- found l laxity not only among the lower courts in traffic matters but among local enforcement enforcement enforce enforce- m ment nt authorities Publicity Suggested There have been cases where the commission has revoked dr drivers drivers drivers' ers ers' licenses for serious offenses such as drunken or reckless driving driving drW- drW ing but the driver drivers have been permitted to continue to operate cars he said These drivers may be the neighbors neighbors neighbors neigh neigh- bors or friends of enforcement officers officers officers cers especially in small cities and towns and the officers are reluctant reluctant reluctant I tant to act against them just let the drivers go ahead and drive This he said could b remedied by publicity arousing of officers officers officers of- of by pointing out to the public pub pub- lie lic the seriousness of the situation Under the law it is mandatory for l lower c courts to report to the commission convictions for reckless reckless reck reck- less driving drunken driving and giving false information in obtainIng obtaining obtaining obtain obtain- ing drivers drivers' and chauffeurs' chauffeurs li li- li censes But the commission also must depend on information from courts on minor offenses so it can keep checks on drivers and take possible action against them if minor mi- mi minor mi ml- nor offenses pile up Some Obey Law The commission depends in a a. large me measure measure sure upon newspaper accounts accounts accounts ac ac- ac- ac counts of traffic law violations Mr Leatham said justices of the peace peace with good records in r reportIng reporting report report- port port- ing convictions are Herman Gygi South Salt Lake Wayne Johnson Springville David Johnson Moab J J. J Fred St Stoker ker Mt ML Pleasant l D. D Henry Cannon Junction J June W. W Black Delta and na J Ji J. H. H Crosby Kanab Commission records showed also that the S Salt lt Lake police court rates per percent cent in r reporting porting convictions 4 In Salt Lake county Jus ice of the Pe e Arthur B. B Bringhurst of South Salt Lake took a lead in proposing organizing the county justices He said sam a meeting will willbo b bo called caned shortly to answer assertions assertions assertions asser asser- of Rufus G. G Jasper traffic engineer for the National Safety ty council S Leniency AU Attacked In a recent report report to the county commission on a survey he made in Salt Lake county Mr Jasper said an Inc incomplete study of traffic tic fic cases indicated that most justice Justice justice jus- jus Jus jus- tice courts were altogether too lenient in traffic cases He said also that officers had complained they were forced to present evidence in undignified and J unsatisfactory surroundings If f the standard o of the justice courts cannot be raised to a satisfactory sat sat- level with less than 10 per pez cent of persons convicted of C hazardous moving receiving receiving receiving re- re suspended sentences the h legislature should be requested to reorganize the court system as asit It applies to traffic cases Mr Jas Jasper Jasper Jas-f Jas per recommended I tj Comments from 01 of the peace on page pace 10 |
