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The Green Bag

vision of the laws and regulations touch ing the legal profession. Such revision has never yet been made. The most significant contribution of the nineteenth century to French legal methods has been in criminal court procedure. Based largely on the Eng lish model, it entrusts the judicial func tion to a jury of twelve men, chosen by lot and charged by the president in the following impressive language: "You swear and promise, before God and men, to examine with the most scrupulous attention the charges which shall be brought against . . .; to betray neither the interests of the accused, nor the interests of society, the accuser; to communicate with no one until after your decision is declared; to listen neither to hate nor to malice, neither to fear nor to affection; to decide ac cording to the charges and the defense in obedience to your conscience and your intimate conviction, with the im partiality and the firmness of men who are honest and free." The twelve jurors hear the charge standing; they raise their hands, and each one answers: "I swear it!" The president wears the traditional red robe; the jury sit in absolute silence, forbidden all questioning and all remarks, their faces in the shadow, and the prisoner sits out before them with the light falling Norman, Oklahoma.

full upon him. The authors of the mod ern Code were not only good jurists, but keen psychologists. The Barreau as it exists today enjoys no privileges that could be termed monop oly. It is not necessary to be a mem ber of the corporation to enjoy the privilege of pleading in a particular case. Instances are numerous where a relative of the prisoner has plead the prisoner's cause, and the Palais has often echoed to the voice of a layman; but such in stances are isolated. The Barreau is a responsible corporation, a corporation which enjoys the public confidence, and is useful as no heterogeneous aggrega tion of individuals could be. There are still propositions to abolish the order. Such a measure would be less dangerous today than it was in 1790, since the existing laws would allow the immediate formation of an association which would serve practically the same purpose as the existing arrangement; but such an organization has proved its utility and necessity, and will continue to exist independently of legislation concerning it.1 'Jules Le Berquier,"Le Barreau moderne," Rente des deux Mondes, ler juillet, 1861. Jules Le Berquier, "Le Barreau moderne," Rente des due* Mondes. 15 mars, 1886. Louis Delzons, "Le Barreau et son Histoire," Revue des deux Mondes, 15 Janvier, 1911.