The age-herald., 1901-08-07

inferior courts herein provided for, shall have Jurisdiction in all civil cases where the amount in controversy does not ex- ceed one hundred dollars, except in cases of libel islander, assault and battery and eiectment. The General Assembly may provide by law what fees may be charged by justices of the peace and constaoies. which fees shall be uniform throughout the State. The right of appeal from any judgment of a justice of the peace, or from any inferior court authorized by this section, without the prepayment or costs. and also in the term of office of such justices, and of the judges of such inferior courts, and of notaries public, shall be provided for by law. The Cover nor may appoint notaries public without the powers of a justice of the peace, ana may except where otherwise provided by an act of the General Assembly, ap- point not more than one notary public with all of the powers and Jurisdiction of a justice of the peace for each precinct in which the election of justices Of the peace shall be authorized.
 MT. Jones of Hale had filed minority report to strike out the word otherwise in the last paragraph.
 Discussing the Question. Mr. Smith of Mobile, chairman of the committee. explained that this section left the ex-officio notaries public as they were but authorized inferior courts to be es- tablished In lieu of justices courts n towns of SoO inhabitants. He moved to table the Jones minority report, which was done
 Mir. Williams of Marengo moved to amend so as to provide that the inferior courts herein provided for shall have such jurisdiction as is provided by law MT. Williams said that limiting the jurts- diction of these courts to the Jurisdiction of a justice of the peace would not pro- vide any better judges than the justices.
 Judge Cobb of Macon offered an amend ment to give these inferior courts civil Jurisdiction to the amount of S250 Mir. Williams accepted this substitute to his amendment.
 Mir Watts of Montgomery opposed the amendment, saying the object of the committee was simply to substitute an in- ferior court in small cities to take the place of the various justices
 Mir Vaughan of Dallas offered substi- tute for the section and amendment. This provided for the election in each district of two justices with civil Jurisdiction of $10O and authorized inferior courts to be established by the Legislature in towns of 2OO0 inhabitants, with the right of appeal to the city or circuit courts. It abolished the ex-officio justices
 Mir Graham of Montgomery opposed the amendment and moved to lay the amend ment and substitute on the table. The Vaughan substitute was then tabled and the Williams amendment also.
 Mir. Reese of Dallas offered an amend ment extending the jurisdiction of the in ferior courts over the contiguous districts On motion of MT. Espy the previous ques- tion was ordered and MT. Reese's amend ment defeated.
 MT. Waddell of Russell moved to amend by providing that justices of the peace shall not have final criminal Jurisdiction. Mir. Fitts of Tuscaloosa offered a hu- morous amendment which provided that an inferior court shall be established in all towns where there Is a sorry lawyer who wants good job This was ruled out of order.
 MT. Waddell of Russell said he wanted to remedy evils of the justice system. He had known of justices of the peace who had granted divorces and established