The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-08-24
House joint RESOLUTION
Relative TO AN Amendment of
Articles Four and Eleven of
the Constitution, ReOrganiz
ing the judiciary Of the State
of Ohio.

BE IL reSJtUtd Gy the General ASSeHIbiI
State Of Ohio (thl ee-iiiths OF all the member
elected to each house concurring therinj
That proposition TO amend the ConstItu-
tion of the state of Ohio, oe submitted to the
electors of tie State, on the second Tuesday
OF October, A. ID. 1877, as follows, tO-wit:
That sections one, three, ire SIR, el9ht tlcetre
fourteen. HteeIl SiIteea and eighteen, of article
four. be amended so as TO read as follows and
section seven, of article four, and sections
twelve and thirteen of article eleven, De re-
pealed: -
SEC. !. The Judicial power of the state
shall be vested in Supreme Court. in Dis
trict Courts. Courts OF Common Pleas, jus
tIces of the Peace and such other courts inie-
riOr to the Supreme Court in one or more
counties. as theGeneral Assembly may from
time to time establish. The Superior Courts
OF Cincinnati and Montgomery counties,
shall continue until otherwise provided by
law.
SEC 5. The Court OF Common Pleas shall
be holden by one Judge, who shall be elected
by the voters of the District, and said Court
shall be open at all times for the transaction
of business, Sundays and holidays excepted.
Each county now existing or hereafter form
ell shall constitute a seperate Common Pleas
Distric,, and each District shall be known by
the name of he county comprising the Dis
trict.
SEC. ). Each District Court shall consist o.
one Judge. who shall be elected by the vOteIs
OF the District. There shall be elected one or
more judges IN each District, and there shall
be heid annually. not less than three ses-
siOns in each county In the State. The Leg
islature shall divide the State into District
Court districts, not exceeding twenty in
number, and shall assign TO each Common
Pleas and District Court district. the numbtr T
ofJudges required to dispose of the business
therein. Ia h district Shall be COMPOSED of
compact territory, bounded by county lines
and as nearly equal in population as practic-
able A concurrence of tbree-fifths only of
all the members elected TO both Houses shall
be Re quired for the first apporttonment or TO
a fla.Ff M
each District Court and Common Pieas Dis
trict, under this amendment, but no change
shall thereafter be made without the concur
renee OF two thirds of all the members elect
ed 10 both Houses.
Sections Twelve and thirteen of article
eleven are hereby repealed; the repeal to
take effect when the Legislature makes the
appOItiOnmt ut mentioned In this section.
SEC. D. rhe District Court Shall have ike
original jurisdiction with the Supreme
Court, and such appellate or othSr Juiisdic
tiOn as may be prOVidtd by law.
SEC. 3. The General Assembly may pro
vide by Law for :, Judge pro tenEp9re, 10 hold
any court when the Judge hereof is diSIualI-
fled by sickI ess or otherwise TO hoih sald
court.
SIC II, The Judges of the districts and Of
the Courts of Common Pleas, shall, while IN
office, resiue in the district In which they
are elected. and their term of office she'll be
five years; but the Legislature may provide
by law that any Judge OF tine Common Pleas
Court shall hold that court in any Other
of the District Court shall hold that court IN
any eth = district for the court than tine one
in which ne resides: and Judges Of the Com
mon Pleas may temporarily exchange dis
tricts with each other and two or more Com
mon Pleas Courts may be held at the same
time in the same district, and two or more
District Courts may be held at the same
time in a district OF that court
SIC. IL The Judges Ofthe SupfemeC 4 an, 4,
the District COuTtS, and Of the Court OF Com
mon Pleas shall. at stated times, receive FOL
fhefr pO tIn Df
provided by law, which shall not be incIes %
ed or diminished during their term Of Office.
bat they shall receive no fees or peIquisit;es,
nor hOid any other Office Of trust Or profit Tn
der the authority Of any state, OF Of tie
United States. All votes for either Of them
for any elective Office, exec pt a judicial Office,
under the authority Of this State given BY
the General Assembly, or the people, shah
be void.
sEc. Is. Tie General Assembly may in
crease or diminish the number Ofthe Judges
ofthe Supreme Court, the number .fihe dis
triets, OF the District Courts the LuInDs OF
Judges in any Common Pleas or District
Court district, change any District Count dis
trict establish other courts, abolish the Pro-
bate Court in any county or any other Court
established by law, ,wneneye twO-thiTds Ofthe
members elected TO each House shall concur
therein; but no such change shall yac4te the
Office OF any Judge. The Court OF Common
Pleas provided for in this amendment shall
be the successor of the present Probate Court
and Courts Of Common Pleas il each county.
The District Courts herein provided for shall
be the successors OF the present District
Courts, and all the books, records, papers
and business. in or appertaining to said
Courts, shall be transferred TO their success
sOrs under this amendment; the e8istirg
Probate Court Is hereby abolished in each
county al the close OF the term for which the
Judge thereof was elected, FIST occurring af-
ter the election OF Common Pleas Judges
under this sInendinentr and the Clerks in the
Courts Of Common Pleas and District Courts,
shall he the clerks in the In the courts herein
provided until their successors are elected
and qualified; but the supreme Court shall
appoint its Own reporter.
SIC. IS. There snail be elected IL each
county by the electors thereof, one C.erk OF
The Court OF Common Pleas, who shall hold
his Office for the term OF three years, and
nntil his successor shall be elected and quail
ihed. He shall, by virtue Of his Office, be
clerk OF all other courts OF reeOrd held there
in, bat the General Assembly may provide,
By law, tor the election OF a clerk with like
term Of Office, for each or any other OF the
courts of record, or for the appointment by
the Supreme Court CT a Clerk for that Court
SEC Is. The several Judges Ofthe Supreme
Court. OF the District and Common Pleas.
and of such other courts as may be created,
shall respectively have and exercise sueh
power and Jurisdiction al chambers or O.her-
wise as may be directed by law.
The term OF Office of all Judges of Common
Pleas and District Courts provided for in this
amendment, shall commence on the nrst
Monday IN January next after the making
Of the apportionnent provided for in section
five OF article four. and the term OF ofice Of
all Judges OF the LOuIJ OF COfnInOn Hleas. IN
Office, who were no. elected as Judges under
this amendment, shall then expire.
No change shall be made by this amend
ment in the Supreme Court. or in the office
or term OF any Judge thereof The first cleo
ton of Judges Of Common Pleas and District
Courts under this amendment, shall be held
at the general election for election OF State
officers nexI after the making OF said appor-
tionment for District Court districts by the
Legislature, but nothing in this amendment
shall be construed 10 change or alter the
Constitution or laws until said apportiOn-
inert. Section seven OF Article four is here
by repealed. and section twenty-five shall be
numb mbered section seven
FORM D BALLOT.
| At said election, the voters desiring TO vote
shall have placed uDOn their ballets the