The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-03-18
w. 1o7 1OTNT RESOLUTION.

No. 1877. JOINT RESOLUTION.
Proposing amendments to Articles Z, 81,
100. Iii. 116. 125, 126 and 121, and
abrogating Articles 12S and 129 or
the Constitution Of the State OF
Louisiana.
Section 1. Be it resolved by the Genera
Assembly of the State Of Louisiana, TWO
thirds of all the members elected 10 eacn
house concurring, that article seven w Oh
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
speedy public trial by an impartial jury
Of the parish wherein the offcnse Shall
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 death the
General Assembly shall provide tor trial
thereof before a jury of six in number OF
bv the court at any regular or speciai
term.
Sec. 2. Be it further resolved, etc.
That article 81 of the Constitution 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 Jurls-
Ection shall extend to all 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, ana 10
all cases arising under the Constitution,
Treatise and Laws of the United States,
or under the Constitution OF the stare,
and to all cases in which the censtitu-
tionality 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 III
which the legality of costs, fees, charges
or allowances shall be in dispute, what
soeyer may be the amount thereof; and
in such cases the appeal on the law and
the facts shall be directly from the court
in which the case originated to the Su-
nreme Court; and to criminal cases on
ouestions of law alone whenever the pun
;shment of death or imprisonment at hard
labor may be inflicted, or 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 inhict such other punishment as may
be provided by law The General AS
sembIy 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 as to read as follows:
Article 109. 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 mat
tiers, and Ehen n succession is a party
defendant. The district judges shall be
elected by plurality of the qualified vot-
ers of their 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 practiced law II the State for
five years previous to their election. They
shall be elected for the term of four years.
All elections to fill vacancies occasoned
by death, resignation or removal, shall
be for the unexpired term, and the Gov
ernor shall fill the vacancy until an cleo
ton can be held. The judges of the dis
trict court shall each receive salary of
three thousand dollars per annun, paya-
bic monthly on their respective warrants.
Sec. 4. Be it 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 regardless
of the amount in dispute.
Sec. s. BE it further resolved, ETC..
That Article one hundred and twenty
FIVE of the Constitution of the State of
Louisiana be 50 amended as to read as
follows:
Article 125 In each parish, the parish
of Orleans excepted, there shall be as
many justices Of the peace as may be
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 law.
They shall have exclusive original juris-
diction 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 shall
exceed fifty dollars exclusive of interest.
and shall not exceed one hundred
dollars exclusive of interest. They
shall have TO Jurisdiction in sus eession or
probate matters. or when succession is q
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. 6. BE it further resolved, etc.,
That Article one hundred and tweuty-siS
of the Constitution of the State of Louis.
lana shall be so amended us to read rs
follows:
Article 12G They shall have criminal
jurisdiction as committing magistrates,
and shall have power to bail or discharge
in cases not capital or necessarily punish
able at hard labor. They shall receive
no fees in criminal matters including
peace bond cases, but in lieu thereof such
salary as may be fixed annually by the
Police jury to be paid By the parish
Sec. Z. Pc it further resolved, etc,
That Article one hundred and twenty
seven Of the Constitution of the State Of