The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-04
TO ALLOW PEOPLE
TO ELECT JUDGES
PURPOSE OF BILL INTRODUCED IN
HOUSE YESTERDAY
AFTERNOON.
TWELVE YEARS TERM
MIR. GORDON, OF LOUISA, WOULD
HAVE HIGHEST TRIBUNAL IN
STATE. FILLED BY QUALI-
FLED VOTERS.
TWELVE YEARS TERI

Should a resolution introduced by
Mr.. Gordon. of Louisa, yesterday In
the house of delegates become. law.
the judges of the Supreme Court OF
Appeals will be elected hereafter by
the qualified voters of the State In
stead of by the general assembly. the
resolution provides for an amendment
to the constitution by which the peo-
pie of the State viii have say as
to who shall occupy the bench OF their
highest tribunal of Justice.
The resolution provides that the
judges shall be elected to the bench for
a term of twelve years. but that no
Judge shall serve after he has reached
the age OF seventy years and that the
term Of office shall not debar the gen.
eral assembly from declaring the office
of any judge vacant should he. for any
cause. become Incapable OF properly
discharging the duties of his office.
The resolution as introduced follows:
Be it resolved by the house Of dele
gates of Virginia, the senate concur
ring, that sections ninety-one 81 and
one hundred and two 102) of the
constitution of Virginia, be amended
as hereinafter provided
Strike out ninety-one ODD. which
reads as follows: 1.-THE judges of the
Supreme Court of Appeals shall be
houses of the general assembly They
shall when chosen have held judicial
station in the United States or shall
have practiced law in this, or some
other State for five years.
AT the first election under this con-
stitution the general assembly shall
elect judges for terms of four. six,
eight. ten and twelve years respec-
lively. and thereafter they shall be
elected for terms of twelve years"
Strike out section one hundred and
two G02) reading as follows: "All
Of the judges shall be commissioned
by the governor. They shall receive
such salaries and allowances as may
be determined by law within the linn
itations fixed by this constitution, the
amount of which shall not be In
creased or diminished during their
terms of office. Their terms of office
shall commence on the first day OF
February next following their cleo
ton, and whenever vacancy occurs
In the office of judge his successor
shall be elected for the unexpired
term" and substitute therefor the
following:
"The Judges of the Supreme Court
of Appeals shall be hereafter chosen
by the qualified voters Of this State,
and their qualifications shall be such
as may be prescribed by law.
They shall hold their offices for a
term of twelve years, except that no
| Judge shall remain upon said court
after reaching the age of seventy C0)
years: notwithstanding that his term
| Of office has not expired at that time,
nor shall the terms of office debar the
general assembly from declaring the
| office of any judge vacant. should he
for any cause become incapable OF
properly discharging the duties of his
office.
! At the general election in Novem-
| Der for the year 1920 all OF the mem
bers of the court or their successors
| shall be chosen by the qualified voters
OF the State. and thereafter, in the
year preceding that in which said
term expires, except In the case of a
vacancy, the same shall be filed in
| the succeeding November election. II
the general assembly be in session
when a vacancy occurs, 1t shall on
| Joint vote of both houses elect a judge
to fill the vacancy. The judge shall
be commissioned by the governor
upon the certificate Of election by the
secretary of the Commonwealth.
as may be prescribed by law, the
amount of which shall not be in
! creased or diminished during their
terms of office"
Resolved. That the clerk OF the
house of delegates be authorized and
| required to cause this proposed
amendment, and these resolutions to
be published for three months pre-
vious to the time of the next general
election of the members of the house
OF delegates.
/ Resolved. That the clerk of the
house of delegates be required to
transmit to the general assembly at
its first regular session held after the
next general election Of members of
the house of delegates. a certified
copy of said proposed amendment,
and these resolutions. together with
the certificate of publication by the
publishers of newspapers " which
the said amendment shall have been
| published.