Sharpe v. Robertson
Supreme Court of Virginia
For many years the number of causes pending in the Supreme Court of Appeals at Richmond had continued to increase, so that in the winter of 1847-8 they amounted to five hundred and sixty-four; and except such cases as were entitled to precedence, the delay in the decision of a cause in the Court was about eight years.
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For many years the number of causes pending in the Supreme Court of Appeals at Richmond had continued to increase, so that in the winter of 1847-8 they amounted to five hundred and sixty-four; and except such cases as were entitled to precedence, the delay in the decision of a cause in the Court was about eight years. The number of cases decided annually was scarce equal to the appeals allowed; and there was, therefore, no hope that under the then existing system the evil of the delay of justice would ever be relieved. For years schemes to remedy the evil had been proposed, but no one of them…
1Opinion of the CourtDaniel, J.
The question presented in this case is, whether the act of the General Assembly, passed the 31st March 1848, entitled “an act concerning the jurisdiction of the General Court, and diminishing the number of the Judges thereof,” in so far as it undertakes to constitute the Special Court of Appeals therein mentioned, was, or was not, passed in pursuance of the amended constitution of Virginia. The duty of en*575quiring into, and deciding upon the legal validity of an act of the Legislature, has always been regarded by this Court, and justly, as one of the most delicate it can be called upon to…
2Cases cited3 opinions
- Marbury v. MadisonSupreme Court of the United States · 1803
- Kamper v. HawkinsGeneral Court of Virginia · 1792
- Daniel v. County Court of WarrenCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1809
3Cited by14 opinions
- State Road Commission v. County Court of Kanawha CountyWest Virginia Supreme Court · 1932
- Bridges v. ShallcrossWest Virginia Supreme Court · 1873
- Sweeney v. BakerWest Virginia Supreme Court · 1878
- Eyre v. JacobSupreme Court of Virginia · 1858
- Bolling v. LersnerSupreme Court of Virginia · 1875
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