The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-09-08

and discharge any duties heretofore con-
lerTed On, OF required oi any court or tri-
bunal estab lished for judicial purposes un-
der the aid article and section OF the con-
stitntionoi one thousand eight hundred
and seyenty.two, or the clerk Of said court
or tribunal respectively, respecting the re-
cording and preservation OF deeds and 9th
er papers presented for record, matters OF
probate, the appointment and qualification
OF personal representatives, guardians,
committees, curators and the settlement OF
their accounts, and in all matters relating
TO apprentices.
% All sections, suits and proceedings not
embraced in the next preceding section,
pendingin county court when this arti-
Gle takes effect, together With the records
and papers pertaining thereto as well as
all records and papers pertaining to such
actions, snits and proceedings, as have al
ready been disposed OF BY said courts shall
be transmitted to and filed with the clerk
OF the circuit court OF the county 10 which
Office all process outstanding at the time
this article goes into operation shall be re-
turned; and said clerk shall have the same
power and shall perform the same duties
in relation 10 such records, papers and
proceedings Us were vested inand required
OF the clerk OF the county court, on the day
before this ARTICLE shall take effect All
such actions, suits and proceedings so
pending as etoresaid, shall be docketed,
proceeded in, tried, heard and determined
in all respects by the circuit court, as il
said suit and proceedings had originated
in said qiurt.
2e' TIe voters Of each county shall elect
q clerk IL the county court, whose term OF
Office shall be six years. His duties and
compensation, and the manner Of his re-
nioyali shall be prescribed by law. But
the clerks OF said courts, now in Office,
shall remain therein for the term for which
they have been elected, unless sooner re-
moved therefrom, in the manner prescribed
by law.
81. Each county shall be laid of into
districts, not less than three nor more
than ten in number, and as nearly equal
as may be in territory aud population.
There shall be elected in each district con.
tanning population not exceeding twelve
hundred, one justice Of the peace, and II
the population exceeds that number, two
such justices shall be elected therein. EY.
cry justice shall reside in the district fol-
which he was elected, and hold his Office
for term oil four years. unless sooner re-
moved in the manner prescribed by law.
The districts as they now exist, shall re-
main till changed by the county court.
rs. The civil jurisdiction Of o Justice OIL
the peace shall extend to actions OF assump-
sit, debt, detinue and trover, if the amount
claimed, exclusive OF interest, does not OK.
coed three hundred dollars. The iurisdic.
ton OF justices of the peace shall extend
Throughout their county; they shall be
conservators of the peace, ard have such
Jurisdiction and power in criminal cases as
may be prescribed by law And justices
oil the peace shall have authority 10 take
the acknowledgment Of deeds and other
writings, administer oaths, and take and
certify dispositions. And the legislature
may give to justices such additional civil
Jurisdiction and powers within their re
spective counties as may be deemed expe.
dent, under such regulations and restric.
tons as may be prescribed by general law,
except that in suits to recover money OF
damages their Jurisdiction and powers
shall in no case exceed three hundred dol.
lars. Appeals shall be allowed from judg.
ments Of justices OF the peace in such man.
ner as may be prescribed by law.
20. The legislature shall upon the appli-
cation OF any county, reform. alter or mod.
lily the county court established by this
article in such county, and in lieu thereof
with the assent OF majority of the voters
ofsuch county, voting at an election, ere.
ate another tribunal for the transaction Of
the business required to be performed by
the county court created by this article;
and in such case, all the provisions of this
article in relation to the county court shall
be applicable to the tribunal established
in lieu OF said court And when said tri.
bunal has been established, it shall con.
tinue to act in lieu OF the county court un.
til otherwise provided by law.
30, The office Of commissioner and JUS.
tice Of the peace shall be deemed incom'
patible. Vacancies in the office Of com.
missioner, clerk OF the county court and
justices OF the peace shall be filed by the
county court of the county until the next
general election.