The alcaldes are appointed by the president of
the Republic.
In general the system works smoothly. The alcaldes are often ignorant
men, but even in the United States the country magistrates are not
always founts of wisdom. The judges of first instance and district
attorneys are almost without exception respected in the community, and
the present judges of the supreme court and of the courts of appeals
enjoy a good reputation. Not infrequently political considerations
have given rise to poor appointments, such as occurred in Barahona
some years ago when the judge-elect telegraphed an indignant protest
to the capital to the effect that he was unacquainted even with the
rudiments of the law. The administration had not taken the trouble to
ascertain whether he was a lawyer, but knowing he sought a position,
had given him the first one at hand. This was rather an oversight, as
the law requires such appointees to be members of the bar. On another
occasion the legal requisite was filled by first declaring the
aspirant a lawyer and then designating him for the post.
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