Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-04-18

In regard to justices of the peace, the bill provides as follows:
 Justices of the peace in town ships subject to this act shall have original jurisdiction co-extensive with the county. The jurisdiction shall be concurrent with the municipal courts and exclusive of the circuit court in all matters of contract where the amount in controversy does not ex- ceed $100, excluding interest; in suits for the recovery of personal property where the value does not exceed the value of $500, and in all matters of damages to personal property where the amount does not exceed $100.
 "A justice of the peace in townships subject to this act shall eceive as a compensation $25 a year, in equal quarterly installments, payable by the county, in addition to the compen- sation provided for by Section 1908 of Kirby's Digest, and such fees as are allowed to justices of the peace for solemnizing marriages, taking and certifying acknowledgement of instru- ments. attending to the duties of a coroner, and for services in relation to eStrays.
 'In any civil case brought before a justice of the peace in township subject to this act, the defendant could take a change of venue to the municipal court without the prepay ment of any fees.
 Provides for Forfeit of Office.
 Any justice of the peace in town ships subject to this act, or municipal judge, who makes use, directly or in directly, of the processes of his court. either as party, litigant or in inter- est OF an attorney or agent for any fines, penalties, forfeitures, fees way of remission of fees or otherwise any pecuniary inducement to the in stituting or maintaining of any suits, prosecutions or proceedings in his court, and any justice of the peace or constable in townships subject to the act, who fails to report or pay over any fines, penalties, forfeitures, fees or costs collected by him, shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and on conviction for each of such of- lenses be punished by fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500, and shall forfeit his office"
 Under the provisions of the act con- stables would perform the same of fees for .he municipal court as they now do for the justice courts, but would receive a salary of $2,5O0 a year each in townships where is situ- ated any of the larger cities and $2,000 a year in the smaller cities.
 The constables in the townships in which the larger cities are located could have five deputies, and in the township in which the smaller cities are located have three deputies and a clerk The deputies and clerk would receive $S5 month. The constable would have to turn over all fees and money received to the county clerk. He would receive his salary only.
 In regard to prosecuting attorneys, the proposed law says:
 "No prosecuting attorney or his deputies in judicial districts subject to this act shall receive any fee for prosecuting a case in the municipal court unless he personally appears and prosecutes such case, and unless the defendant therein demands trial upon a plea of not guilty and the presiding judge enters an order dl- recting the prosecuting attorney or his deputy to appear"
 The proposed law carries an emer- gency clause, which would uut it into effect immediately after it's passage.