The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-09-11
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
rality of qualified electors thereof. For
each district there shall be ono district

!, rallty OF qualified electors thereof. For
each district there shall be one, district
court, except in, the parish of Orleans,
which the General Assembly may. es-
4 tablish as many district courtsas the
public interest may require, not to ex-
/ coed the number now authorized by
Eexisting laws, except by a two thirds
vote of all the members elected to
both branches of the General Assem-
bly,. Until otherwise provided by law,
the district courts now existing in the
parish of Orleans shall have the juris-
diction at present conferred by law; no
redistricting or change shall be made
so as to take effect during the ipcum-
bency of any judge. The number of
districts in tile State shall not be less
than thirty nor more than forty-fve.
| The General Assembly shall provide
by law for atleast four terms annually
of the district court in every parish.
The General Assembly shall, have
power to create circnit courts, to be
constituted by grouping the district
| judges into, circuits,, and composing the
circuit. court Of the judges Of the dis
trict courts within such circuits. To
direct the place ortpiaces of meeting Of
| said circuit courts so constituted, and
to vest said circuit courts with appel
late jurisdiction from. the district
courts within the ,circnit where the
amount involved exceeds one hundred
dollars iS1D0,) exclusive Of interest,
and does not exceed five hundred dol
lars $500, exclusive of Interest. The
General Assembly shall have power,
by a two thirds vote Uf all the mem ;.
bers elected2to both houses, to restrict
the appellate jurisdiction of the Su-
preme Court to causes where the
amount involved exceeds one thou
sand dollars -(SL,0O0,) exclusive of in
terest; and in case of such restriction,
the circuit courts 50 to be created shall
have appellate jurisdiction of the class
Of cases thus excluded from the APP
pellate jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court. The clerks of the dis
trict courts shall be- elected by the
qualified voters of their respective par
isles, and shall hold their Office for
four years. S.
(Strke out article eighty -three.)
..--t NUMBER THIRTEEN. tsge
Each of the district judges shall re-
ceiye salary, to be fixed by law,
which, except in the Parish Of Orleans,
shall not be less than two thousand
dollars, nor more than three thousand
dollars per annum, payable quarterly
on his own warrant, and which shall
not be increased nor diminished dur
ing his term ofgoffice. He must be a
citizen of the United States, over tile
age of twenty-five years, and have re-
sided in the State and practiced law
therein for the space, of two years next
preceding His election. The Judges of
the district courts shall hold their Of
fee for the term of four years. In tie
Parish of Orleans the annual salary of
the district judges shall not exceed five
thousand dollars, to be paid us above
provided.
(strike out article eighty -four.) -
.r SrMhER FOURTEEN. Ja}
In lieu of the Office Of district attor
ney, established by article nincty-tNo
of the Constitution of 1868, there shall
be elected, by the qualified voters of
each Parish, States attorney there
for, who shall be citizen of the Uni
ted States, and who shall have been Al |
resident Of the State, and a practicing
and duly licensed attorney at law, for
at least two years. He shall receive a
salary from the State of not less than
three nor more than seven hundred
dollars per annum, to be provided by
law upon the basis of representation in
the House of Representatives, and pay
able quarterly on his own warrant.
He shall be ex officio attorney Of the !
Parish, and receive such salary there 1
from as may be fixed by the parochial,
authorities, not to exceed seven hun
dred dollars per annum. He shall,
moreover, receive such fees Of office as
may be allowed by law. In the city
of New Orleans the States attorney
shall receive such compensation from
the city, in addition to the salary
above provided, as may be established
by law. He shall be elected at the
same time with the judges of the dis
trict courts, and shall hold his office
for the term of four years. -.
49,. NUMBER FIFTEEN. '''..'..
;. In every case where the Judge may
be reused, and when he is not person.
ally interested in the matters in con-
testation, he shall select a lawyer, hav-
ing the necessary qualifications re-
quired for judge of his court, to try |
such cases; and the General Assembly /
shall provide by law for the trial of
those cases in which the judge may be
interested, or when he may
be absent or refuses to act. .o ~
Strike out article ninety.)
.,rs.3 5g.. NUMBER SIXTEEN.
In order to provide for the estab-
lishment of the judicial system created
by the above amendments, and to pre-.
vent the evils of an interregnum, it is
hereby ordained by tile people Of Lou
isiana: siI -
First-That the General Assembly, |
which meets the first Monday in Janu-
airy, 1879, shall, in accordance with the
foregoing amendments, Immediately
redistrict the State, and provide for
the authority of clerks, and the cleo
ton and criminal jurisdiction of JUS
tees of the peace.
Second--That as soon as the Legis-
latnre shall have acted as aforesaid,
the Governor shall by proclamation
call an election for justices of the
peace for each parish, except the par
ish of Orleans, and for district judges,
in each district created by the reds
tricting, where one or more parishes
have been added, or taken from the
existing judicial district, and for State
Attorneys. as above nroviled. excant