The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1896-01-18
No. 1877.
Joint RESOLUTION

proposing amendments to Articles Z. g.
1oe. III. r6 rs, 126 and 1N. and aoro-
eating Articles 12s and 129 Of the Con-
stitution of the State of LOUISIANA
Section 1. Be 1t resolved by the General
Assembly of the State OF louisiana TWO
thirds of all the members elected to each
House concurring, 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 10
speedy public trial. by an Impartial jury
of the parish wherein the onehse snol.
have 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 deatn, the
General Assembly shall provide Tor trlai
thereof before a jury Of six In NUMBER
or by the court at any regular or speciai
term.
That Article eighty-one Of the Constitu-
tion of the State Of Louisiana shall be SO
amended as to read as follows:
Article 81. The Supreme Court, except
In cases hereinafter provided. shall nave
appellate jurisdiction only, which )uris-
diction shall extend to all cases wnen
the matter in dispute or the fund to %
therein claimed, shall exceed two thou-
sand dollars. exclusive of interest. 10
suits for divorce and separation from
bed and board, to suits Tor the huii'.y
of marriage, to suits involving the rlgnts
of homestea6s, to suits Tor lnteroictoh'
and to all cases arising under the On
stitution. Treaties and Laws or the Unit
ed States. or under the Constitution OF
the state. and to all cases in which the
constitutionality or legality OF any TAX
toll or impost whatever, or any hhe'
forfeiture or penalty imposed by a num-
icipal corporation shall be In contesta-
ton. or in which the legality OF costs'
fees, charges or allowances shaI oe IA
djspute. whatsoever may be the amount
thereof: and in such cases the appear
on the law and the facts shall be direct
Iv from the court in which the case
originated to the Supreme Court ana 10
criminal cases on questions OF law alone
whenever the punishment Of death CT I'M
prisonment at hard labor may be inhict-
ed, or a fine exceeding three hundred
dollars is actually imposed. The Supreme
Court shall have original exclusive 1ur-
isdicton in all matters touching profess
sional misconduct Of members OF the
bar, with power to disbar. and infiict such
other punishment as may be provided
by law. The General Assembly shall
enact laws to enforce the foregoing pro-
visions.
See. 8. Be 1t further resolved. ETC.. That
Article one hundred and nine of the Con-
stitution of the State Of Louisiana be 80
amended as to read as follows:
Article 100 The District Courts shall
have original Jurisdiction In all matters
civil. probate and criminal not vested
in the Supreme Court or exclusively In
some other court by the Constitution and
laws made in pursuance thereof. They
shall have unlimited original jurisdiction
in all criminal. probate and succession
matters and when a succession is
party defendant The district Judges
shall be elected by a plurality OF the
qualified voters of their respective dis
tricts, in which they shall have been &C
tual residents for two years next pre-
ceding their election. They shall be
learned in the law. and shall have prac-
ticed in the State for five years previous
to their election. They shall be elected
for the term of four years. All elections
to fill vacancies occasioned by death,
resignation or removal, shall be for the
unexpired term, and the Governor shall
fill the vacancy until an election can be
held The Judges of the district court
shall each receive a salary Of three thou
sand dollars per annum, payable monthly
on their respective warrants:
| Sec L. BE II further resolved, etc, That
article one hundred and eleven OF the
Constitution of the State of Louisiana
be so amended as to read as follows:
| Article III. The District Courts shall
have Jurisdiction Of appeals from justices
| of the peace in all civil matters regard
less Of the amount in dispute.
| Sec. s. Be 1t further resolved, etc. That
article one hundred and twenty-five OF
the Constitution of the State of Louis
lana be SO amended as to read as fol-
lows:
Article Us. In each parish, the Parish
of Orleans excepted. there shall be a.
many justices of the peace as may De
provided by law. The present number OF
Justices of the peace shall remain a. now
fixed until otherwise provided. They
shall be elected for the term OF four years
by the qualified voters within the terri
torial limits Of their jurisdiction, and
their qualifications shall be fixed by law.
They shall have exclusive original juris-
diction in all civil matters when the
amonnt in dispute shall not exceed fifty
dollars. exclusive of interest, and orig
inal Jurisdiction concurrent with the DIS
trict Court, when the amount in dispute
shall exceed fifty dollars. exclusive OF
interest and shall not exceed one hun
dred dollars, exclusive of interest
They shall have no jurisdiction II
succession or probate matters. OF
when a succession is a defendant. OF
when the State or any parish is party
They shall receive such fees In civil mat
tiers as may be fixed by law.
Sec g. Be 1t further resolved. etc, ina
article one hundred and twenty-sfx o
the Constitution Of the State OF Louis
lana be so amended as to read as foilows
Article l26 They shall have crim'na
Jurisdiction as committing magistrate
and shall have power to bail or discharg
in cases not capital or necessarily pun
ishable a. hard labor. They shall re
ceiye no fees In criminal matters incluo
| = .....,., hnnd ca ses hut in lieu thereC