Show COURTS SHOULD MAINTAIN THEIR DIGNITY THE encounter between two members of the salt lake bar on saturday evening suggests some remarks on tile licence allowed to atlon ays eys in court it was wrong of 91 course to resent by violence olence si the insult rec revved received ved by the gentleman who lout hobt his temper emper but there are many respectable people who do not hesitate to say any that he was justified under the circumstances the attorney who was the author of the wanton insult certainly deserved the blow he received and the fine inflicted for contempt of court and it was proper that both the belligerents should be censured but in our opinion the court ought to have interfered in time ai at aid d in a more peremptory manner to prevent the scene that disturbed its ser serenity edity it is shameful that lawyers are allowed to abuse each other as they often do in the presence of judges and the public the rage they Ai display airplay the language they use the exaggerations and misrepresentations in which they indulge to gain a point are positively disgraceful and on the street or in a barroom would pru provoke voke and lead to bloodshed why then should they he be permitted in the presence of the majesty of thelah th the elaw law not only do attorneys berate each other in this insulting way but they often abuse witnesses who are subjected to the pangs of public legal vivisection questions are propounded sometimes with a fiendish desire to perplex abroy and enrage a witness and the court blandly and calmly looks on a word of rebuke for the legal ruffian who takes advantage of its ito protection so with a defendant not content coloring and construing the evidence against him until it is far stronger and blaker blacker than facts would justify the attorney seeking his conviction will proceed to hurl burl at him epithets of the vilest kind dive into the domain of motive and intent and conscience and abuse the unfortunate victim with a ferocity and malignancy that are truly diabolical the poor culprit has to take it all in wence bile nee and has not a chance to defend himself against theses which are often as cowardly and eat savage age as the tortures inflicted by an ivian indian upon a bound and helpless prisoner placed entirely at his mercy we hold that courts ought to preserve their own dignity by drawing a line over which abusive attorneys shall not pass without punishment witnesses defendants and opposing attorneys should be protected from insult and abuse there is too much license in american court conduct that would be rebuke dand suppressed even in a police court in some civilized countries is allowed to go unchecked in W many ady of the district and superior courts of the united states this brings a stigma upon them which lessens the respect that should be entertained for them by the public our idea of the dignity of such courts is that it ought to be maintained if necessary by stringent rules as to the corduck of members of the bar and that when contempt for the court is shown by assaults such euch as we have described it ought to be promptly con dedred and the practice be stamped out if there la Is one place more than another from which camion pa eion violence violen oft and invective should be banished it Is f a court of justice where courtesy and dignity should prevail and fair if strong argument t should betheen bet be the heeg weapons of legal antagonists the scene of saturday evening was an object lesson lemon that we w e hope will nat be without good effects upon courts courto and attorneys and all who are assoni abed with judicial affairs |