The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-04-15
M 1o7 JO1ST RESOLUTION.


Proposing amendments to Articles Z, 81,
100. III, 116, 125, 126 and 127. and
abrogating Articles 12S and 129 OF
the Constitution of the State OF
Louisiana.
Section l. Be it resolved by the General
Assembly of the State Of Louisiana, two
thirds of all the members elected 10 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 to Il
speedy public trial by an impartial jury
of the parish wherein the offense shall
have been committed, except In cases OF
change of venue; provided that in cases
where the penalty is not necessarily im-
prisonment at hard labor, or death the
General Assembly shnll provide for trial
thereof before n jury of six in number or
by the court at any regular or SPECIAL
term.
Sec. 2. Be 1t 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 shnll have
appellate jurisdiction only, which Juris-
diction 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 nnility Of marriage,
to suits involving the rights Of home
steads, to suits for introduction, and to
all cases arising under the Constitution,
Treatise and Lnws of the United States,
or under the Constitution of the State,
and to all eases in which the conStltu-
tioIality or legality of any tax, toll or
impost whatever, or any fine, forfeiture
or penalty imposed by municipal cor
poratiOn shall be in cOntestatlon, or in
which the legality of costs, fees, charges
or allowances shall be in dispute, what
soever 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-
preme Court; and to criminal eases on
questions of law alone whenever the pun
ishment of death or Imprisonment ut hard
labor may be Inflicted, or fine exceed
PISSED. 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 inilict such other punishment as may
be provided 10y law. The General As
sembly shall enact laws to enforce the
foregoing provisions.
Sec. 8. Be it further resolved, ETC.,
That article one hundred and nine of
the Constitution of the State of Louisiana
be 50 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 mat
ters, and when q succession is a party
defendant. The district judges shall be
elected by a~prhhlFalitx- Of tue qualified vot-
1rS OF their respective districts, III III winch
they shall have been actual residents for
two years next proceeding their election.
They shall be learned in the law, and
shall have practced law 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 accustomed
by death, resignation or removal, shall
be for the une1pired 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 q salary of
three thousand dollars per annum, paya-
bic monthly ON their respective warrants.
Sec. /. 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 i'll dispute
Sec 5. Be it further resolved, etc.
That Article one hundred and twenty.
five of the Constitution of the State OF
Louisiana be so amended as to read as
follows: .
Article l2J. In each parish, the pars!
of Orleans excepted, there shall he 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 fouI
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 origina
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 no jurisdiction in sue cession o!
probate matters, or when q succession is q
defendant, or when the State or any par
ish is party They shall receive such
fees in civil mattcrs as may be fixed By
law.
See 6. Be it further resolved, etc
That Article one hundred and twcnty-sis
of the Constitution of the State of Louis
lana shall be so amended rs 10 read as
follows:
Article 126. They shall have criminal
jurisdiction rs 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
See. Z. BE it further resolved etc,