Indeed, they frequently demanded bribes from litigants, or from defendants in criminal cases, under promise to expedite the trials if paid to do so, or under threat to commit some injustice if payment was not forthcoming.

For many years after the American occupation justices of the peace received no salaries and had to look to fees for their compensation.

This system worked wretchedly.

The positions were only too often filled by very incompetent and unworthy men, who stimulated litigation in order to make more money.

Now all justices of the peace receive reasonable salaries.
The paying of regular salaries and the furnishing of necessary offices and supplies have done much to improve the work of justice of the peace courts, which are now presided over by men who average far better than even their immediate predecessors.
Until they were put on a salary basis the work of the Filipino justices of the peace left much more to be desired than is lacking at present.