The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-07-12
TIE SUPERIOR COURT.


The governor having appointed the
judges of the new superior court pro-
vided for by the state Legislature, that
body is now fully established. The
appointed judges will hold Office until
their successors, who will be elected
in November next, take their seats on
the first Monday in January next
The terms of the elected judges will
expire in ten years. The superior
court will meet once year in Phila-
delphia, 'Pittsburg, Williamsport,
Scranton and Harrisburg. The
county in which the court is held
must supply room at the expense Of
the state. The court will appoint the
prothonotaries in the cities Of Will
Transport and Scranton, and the pro-
thonotaries of the superior court at
Pittsburg, Philadelphia and Harris
burg will serve as ex-officio prothono-
taries of the superior courts.
The court shall have no original
jurisdiction except that it may issue
writs Of habeas corpus, but it shall
have exclusive and final appellate
jurisdiction Of all appeals which are
now allowed to the supreme court IN
many classes of cases. These include
all proceedings of any kind in the
court of quarter sessions of the peace
before any Judge, except cases involv.
ing the right to public Office. But
no appeal from sentence upon an
indictment may be taken unless it has
been specially allowed by judge OF
this court, who shall have power to
admit to bail and to make an order
or supersedeas or any other order
which justice may require. Also all
oyer and terminer cases, except felon.
ious homicide, which shall 60 directly
to the supreme court; all actions oil
claims of every kind, including distri
buttons in common pleas or in equity,
provided the matter does not involve
property worth more than $1,000.
1t shall have the final decision also
in all claims, disputes or other pro
ceedings, including other distributions
in the orphans court, except those ir
which the attorney general appears ir
his official capacity and those in which
the amount really in controversy in q
single claim is greater than $4,000
exclusive of costs. Any case what
ever, civil or criminal, at law or ii
equity, or in the orphans court, excep
felonious homicide, may be heard anC
decided by the court, although th'
case would otherwise have been ap
pealable directly to the supreme
court. Nevertheless, in any action o
proceeding whatever committed to TIT
final and exclusive decision of tn
superior court there may still be al
appeal from its judgment to the su
preme court.
First, if the jurisdiction OF the 81
preme court is in issue or second, i
the case involves the construction o
application of the constitution of tn,
United States or of any statute o
: treaty of the United States or third
if the case involves the construction
or application of the constitution @
Pennsylvania or fourth, if the appea
to the supreme court is especially al
,, lowed by the superior court itself o
by any one justice Of the suprem
court. But if both parties to cas-
at any stage Of the proceedings, belo'
or in the superior court, mutually s.
stipulate there shall be no appeal.
If any three of the judges believ
the questions involved in any case ar
so difficult or important as to make
= decision by the supreme court exped
lent, the case shall be certified to tha
court after the case shall have beer
heard and decided in the superlo
court. Members Of the bar of tn
supreme court shall without furthe
action also be members of the bar O
the superior court. Thereafter admi:
sion shall be governed by such rule
as the superior court may make. Tn
general appropriation bill provide
$Ios,ooo for two years salaries for tn
judges, and $4,000 for the salaries {
the crier and tipstaves for two years
, The latter are to be appointed by tn
court.