The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-03-04
No 1917 JOINT RESOLUTION.

the Constitution OF the 'o'ate VA
Louisiana.
Section /. Be it resolved by the General
Assembly of the State OF Louisiana, two
thirds Of all the members elected TO ehch
house concurriag, that article seven ~ OF
the Constitution Of the State of LOUISIANA
be so amended as to read as follows:
Article 7. In all criminal prosecutions
the accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy public trial by an impartial jury
Of the parish wherein the offcnsc shall
haye been committed, except in cases OF
change of venue; provided, that IN cases
where the penalty is not necessarily I'M
prisonment at hard labor, or death the
General Assembly shall provide for trial
thereof before jury of six in number or
by the court at any regular or speciai
term.
Sec. g Be it further resolved. etc,
That article 81 of the Constitution Of the
State of Louisiana shall Ike SO amended
as to read as follows:
Article 81. The Supreme Court, except
in cases hereinafter provided, shall nave
appellate jurisdiction only, which Juris-
f}ietion shall extend 10 nil cases when the
matter in dispute or the fund to be dis
tributed, whatever may be the amount
therein claimed, shall exceed two thous-
and dollars, exclusive of interest, to suits
for divorce and separation from bed and
board. to suits for the nullity Of marriage,
TO suits involving the rights Of home
steads, to suits for introduction, and to
all cases arising under the Constitution,
Treatise and Laws of the United States,
or under the Constitution Of the State,
and to all cases in which the cOnstitu-
tio1ality or legality Of any tax, toll or
impost whatever, or any fine, forfeiture
or penalty imposed by municipal cor
poratiOn shall be in condensation, or in
which the legality Of costs, fees, charges
or allowances sh"n]ssbe in dispute, what
soever may 1e the account thereof: and
In such cases the appeal On the law and
the tacts shall be directly from the court
"a which the case originated to the Su-
preme Court; and to criminal cases on
questions of law alone whenever the pun.
ishment of death or imprisonment at hard
labor may be indicted. or n fine exceed
ing three hundred dollars is actually i'm.
posed The Supreme Court shall have
original exclusive jurisdiction in all mat
tiers touching professional misconduct OF
members of the bar, with power to disbar
and infict such other punishment as may
be provided by law. The General As.
sembly shall enact laws to enforce the
foregoing provisions.
Sec 3. Be it further resolved, etc.
That article one hundred and nine OF
the Constitution Of the State of Louisiana
be so amended rs to reud as follows:
Article 100. The District Courts shall
have original jurisdiction in all matters
civil, probate and criminal not vested III
the Supreme Court or exclusively i'll some
other court by the Constitution and laws
made in pursuance thereof. They shall
have unlimited original Jurisdiction III all
criminal, probate and succession mat
ters, and Shcn q Succession is a-6arty
defendant. The district Judges shall be
elected by plurality of the qualified vot-
ers OF tneir respective districts in which
they shall have been actual residents for
two years next proceeding their election.
They shall be learned in the law, and
shall have practiccd law in the State for
five years previous 10 their election. They
shall be elected for the term of four years
ah eieCtpuS 10 hi vacancies occISiDlct
by death, resignation or removal, shall
be for the unexpired term, and the Coy
crnor shall fill the vacancy until an cleo
ton can be held. The judges of the dis
trict court shall each receive n salary of
three thousand dollars per annum, paya-
bic monthly on their respective warrants.
Sec. t. Be it further resolved, etc.
That article one hundred and eleven Of
the Constitution Of the State Of Louisiana
be so amended rs to read as follows:
Article Ill. The District Courts shall
have jurisdiction of appeals from justices
of the peace in all civil matters regardless
of the amount in dispute.
Sec. 5. Be it further resolved, etc.
That Article one hundred and twenty.
i've of the Constitution of the State of
Louisiana be SO amended Us to read rs
follows:
Article 125. In each parish, the parish
of Orleans excepted. there shall be as
many justices of the peace us may he
provided by law. The present number
Of justices OF the peace shall remain as
now fixed until otherwise provided. They
shall be elected for the term of four
years by the qualified voters within the
territorial limits of their jurisdiction. and
their qualifications shall be fixed by Inv.
They shall have exclusive original juris-
dction in all civil matters when the
amount in dispute shall not exceed fifty
dollars, exclusive OF interest, and original
jurisdiction concurrent with the District
Court, when the amount in dispute shalt
exceed fifty dollars exclusive Of interest
and shall not exceed one hundred
dollars exclusive of interest. They
shall have 10 jurisdiction In succession or
probate matters, or when Succession il a
defendant, or when the State or any par
ish is party. They shall receive such
fees In civil matters as may be fixed by
law.
Sec. 9. BE it further resolved. etc.
That Article one hundred and tweuty-six
Of the Constitution Of the State of Louis
lana shall be SO amended as to read as
follows:
Article 12G. They shall have criminal
jurisdiction as committing magistrates,
and shall have power to bail OF discharge
in cases not capital or necessarily punish
able ut hard labor. They shall receive
no fees in criminal matters including
peace bond eases but in lieu thereof such
salary as may be fixed annually by the
Police Jury to. be paid by the parish.
Sec. I. Re it further resolved, etc,
That Article one hu 1dred and twenty
seven Of The Constitution of the State of
Louisi%na be SO amended as to read a.
foil
Article 1nI. There shall be n consta.
Die for each justic. of the peace, in the
several parishes of the State. the Parish