Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-08-09
Proposed amendment to the
Constitution Of Ohio.
.HUDEGHA" n
House Joint Resolution No. za.
IONT RESOLUTION

proposing an. amendment 10 article f0pF OF the
constitution OF the state.
SEOTIos l. BE 1t enacted By tie General As-
sena6y Of tie State Of Ohi0, (three tilths of the
members elected to each house agreeing there
toJ, That proposition to amend the constitu-
tion or the state of Ohio be, and the same is
hereby submitted to the electors of the state
at the election to be held on the second Tues
Of October, \. ID. 1888, as follows:
That sections one, two and six of article four,
entitled judicial be amended so US TO read
rs follows:
Section l. The judicial power of the state is
vested in Il supreme court, circuit courts,
courts of common pleas, courts Of probate,
justices of the peace, and such other courts
inferior to the supreme court, as the general
assembly may from time to time establish.
Section 2. The supreme court shall, until
otherwise provided by law, consist OF five
ldges a majority of whom competent TO sit
snail be necessary to form quorum Or to pro-
nounce q decision, except as hereinafter pro-
vided. 1t shall have original jurisdiction in
quo tcd77dHtO, B3dRdGmuS, hGJeds corpus and
prOcedsadO, and such appellate jurisdiction as
may be provided by law. 1t snail hold at
least one term in each year at the seat of goV>
eminent, and such other terms, there or else
where, as may be provided by law. The
Judges of the supreme court shall be eected
by the electors OF the state at large, for such
term, not less than five years, as the general
assembly may prescribe, and tkey shall be
elected and their official term shall begin at
such time as may be fixed by law. In case
the general assembly shall increase the nuns
Der of such judges, the first term of each of
such additional judges snail be such, that in
eac,I year after their fist election, an equal
number of judges of the supreme court shall
be elected, except in elections to NIL vacancies;
and whenever the number Of such judges shall
be increased, the general assembly may au~
thOrze such court to organize divisions there's
of, not exceeding three, each division to cons
sist of an equal number of judges; for the adj
Indication of cases, Il ma ujority Of each division
shall constitute a quorum, and such an assign
ment of the cases to each division may be
made us such court may deem expedent, but
whenever all tie judges, of either division,
hearing case snail not concur as To the judg-
menL u be rendered therein, or whenever
Case shall involve the cOnstitulionality of an
act of the general assembly or of an act If
congress, it shall be reserved to the whole
court for adjudication The judges Of the
supreme court in office, when this amendment
takes effect, shall continue to hold their
offices until their successors are elected and
qualified.
Section 6. The circuit courts shall have like
original jurisdiction with the supreme court,
and such appellate jurisditiOn as may be pros
vided by law. Such courts shall be composed
of such number of judges as may he provided
by law, and shall be held in each county, at
least once in each year. The number of cir
cults, and the boundaries thereof, shall he
prescribed by lIw. Such judges shall he elects
ed in each crcuit by the electors thereof, and
at such time auG for such term us may be pre-
scribed by law, land the same number shall be
elected in each circuit Each judge shall be
competent to exercise his judicial powers in
any circuit. The general assembly may change
from time to time, the number or boundaries
of the circuits. The circuit courts shall be
the successors of the district courts, and all
cases, judgments, records, and proceedings
pending in said district courts, in the several
counties of any district, shall be transferred
10 the circuit courts in the several counties,
and be proceeded in as though said district
courts had not been abolished, ard the district
courts shall continue in existence until the
election and qualification of the judges of the
circuit courts.
And be it further resolved, that at said elec
tion, the voters desiring to vote in favor of
said amendment. shall have placed upon their
ballots, the words, judicial constitutional
amendment, yes," and the voters who do not
place on their ballots the words judicial con
stitutional amendment, no. and if a majority
Of all the votes passed [cast] at said election,
shall be in favor of said amendment, then
said sections one, two and six herein set forth,
shall be and constitute the selection so amen
ded in said Judicial article (four) of the con-
stitution of the state of Ohio, and said original
sections one, two, and six, and also sections
five and eleven of said article, shall be repeal>
ed and aunulIed. |. n. HATHAWAY,
Speaker pro tenn Of the House Of Representatives.
II q. RICHARDS,
President Of the Senate.
Adopted March 80, 1855.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Omo.
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
|, JAMES W. NEWMAN, Secretary Of State of
the State of Ohio, do hereby certify. that the
foregoing is true copy of u Joint Resolution
adopted by the General Assembly Of the State /
of Ohio, on the 30th day of March, A. d. 1888, /
as taken from the original rolls flied in this !
office.
In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, ! have hereunio ,
subscribed my name, and affixed the great /
seal of the Stale of Ohio, at Columbus, the (
Both day Of March, \. -. 1888
JAMES w. NEWMAN,
lsEAI- Secretary of Sttte.