The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1896-04-18
No. 1877.
Joint RESOLUTION.

NO. lSI
JOINT RESOLUTION.
Proposing amendments to Articles !. 81.
100. III, ZIG, is, 126 and 1T, and abro-
eating Articles 12s and 10 of the Con-
stitution of the State Of Louisiana.
Section I. Be II 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
,tpuisiana be SO amended as to read a.
lA6Qpws:
'fl4k4icie Z. In all criminal prosecutions
NJ Accused shall enjoy the right to q
'spSe3y. public trial. by an impartial jury
a. "a parish wherein the offense shall
Hfvsbsen committed. except In cases OF
change Of venue: provided. that In cases
where the penalty IL not necessarily I'M
prisonment at hard labor, or death. the
General Assembly shall provide for trial
thereof before a jury Of six in number
or by the court at any regular or special
term.
Sec. 2. Be 1t further resolved. etc,
That Article eighty-one of the Constitu-
ton OF the State Of Louisiana shall be 10
amended as to read as follows:
Article 81. The Supreme Court. except
in cases hereinafter provided. shall have
0ppeiIate yuTisulCtiOu OHiys WHICH JULIE
diction shall extend to all cases when
the matter in dispute or the fund to DO
distributed whatever may be the amount
therein claimed, shall exceed two thou
sand 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 homesteads. to suits for Introduction.
and to all cases arising under the Con-
4 <,ft hxav vv1tt
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 fne.
forfeiture or penalty imposed by a mum
icipal corporation shall be in contesta-
ton, or in which the legality OF costs.
fees, charges or allowances snail be In
dispute. whatsoever may be the amount
thereof: and In such cases the appeal
on the law and the facts shall be direct
ly from the court in which the case
originated to the Supreme Court: and to
criminal cases on questions of law alone
whenever the punishment Of death CT Inn
prisonment at hard labor may be infiict-
ed. or a dne exceeding three hundred
dollars Is actually imposed. The Supreme
Court shall have original exclusive FUR
isdiction In all matters touching profess
sional misconduct Of members Of the
bar, with power to disbar. and infi.ct such
other punishment as may be provided
by law. The General Assembly shall
enact laws to enforce the foregoing pro-
visions.
Sec. 8. Be II further resolved, etc. That
Article one hundred and nine of the Con-
stitution of the State of Louisiana be so
amended as to read as follows:
Article 1os. 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 q
party defendant The district Judges
shall be elected by q plurality Of the
qualified voters Of their respective dis
tricts. in which they shall have been ac-
tual residents for two years next pre-
ceding their election. They shall be
learned I'm the law. and shall have prac-
ticed in the State for 1--WE 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
snexpired term, and the Governor shall
MI the vacancy until an election can be
shall each receive salary Of three thou
sand dollars per annum. payable monthly
on their respective warrants:
Sec. 4. Re IL 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 125. In each parish. the Parish
Of Orleans excepted. there shall be as
many Justices OF the peace es 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 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
amount in dispute shall not exceed nifty
dollars. exclusive of interest. and orig
inal Jurisdiction concurrent with the Dts
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 in
succession or probate matters. or
when q succession Is q defendant. Or
when the State or any parish il a party.
They shall receive such fees In civil mat
tiers a. may bs fixed by law.
Sec. 6. Be II further resolved. etc. That
article one hundred and twenty-six Of
the Constitution of the State Of Louis
lana be 90 amended as to read - follows: