The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-08-25

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and discharge any duties heretofore con
ferred on, 81 required Of any court OF tri-
bnnal established fcr Judicial purposes I'M
der tie said article and section Of the con.
stitntion Of one thousand eight hundred
and seveuty-two 81 the clerk Of said court
or tribunal respectively, respecting the re-
coTdine and pfeeefvation'o OF deeds and 9th.
er papers presented for record, nIatters OF
probate. the appointment and qualification
81 personal Representatives, guardians,
committees cura!ors aud the settlement oil
their accounts; and in oil matters relating
to apprentices,
%. AN sections, suits and proceeding mot
embracedin the next preceding section,
pending ia . 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; suits and proceedings, as have al
ready been disposed OF by said courts shall
bestrnnsmitted TO and fled with the clerk
of the circuit court OF the county to 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 TO such records, papers and
proceedings as were vested in and 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 aforesaid, shall be docketed,
proceeded in, tried, heard and determined
in all respects by the circuit court, as if
said suits and proceedings had originated
in said court:
20. TheFoters OF each county shall elect
d clerl, OF tho county court, whose term OF
office sh6llbe Six years. His duties and
Compensatory and the manner OF hisre-
moyal, ahal be prescribed by law But
the clerks 81 said courts, now in Office,
shall remain therein for the term for which
they have been elected, unless sooner re-
moved therefron, in the manner prescribed
by law.
q. Each county shall BE- laid off into
districts, not less than three nor more
than ten in number, and as nearly equal
as may be in territory and 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. Ev-
cry justice shall reside in the district for
which he was elected, and hold his office
for term OF 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.
| 2S. The civil Jurisdiction Of a justice OF
the peace shall extend to actions OF assnmp-
sit, debt, detinue and trover, ifthe amount
claimed, exclusive of interest, does not ex-
coed three hundred dollars. The jurisdic-
ton OF justices of the peace shall extend
Throughout their county; they shall be
conservators oil the peace. and have such
Jurisdiction and power in criminal cases as
may be prescribed by law. And justices
of the peace shall have authority to 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
spectiye 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 or
damages their jurisdiction and powers
shall in no case exceed three hundred dol
lars. Appeals shall be allowed from iudg-
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 insuch county, and in lieu thereof,
with the assent of majority OF the voters
OF such county, voting at an election, Gre
ate another tribunal for the transaction OF
the business required to be performed by
the county court created by this article;
and insuch case, all the provisions Of this
tartialsrin 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
time to act in lieu OF the county court I'M
til otherwise provided by law.
| 80. The Office OF commissioner and ius-
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.