manner as they may determine, shall hold his office for two years, another to be designated in like manner for four years, and the third for six years, so that one shall be elected every two years after the first election. The Chief Justice shall be desig nated by lot by said Justices, and shall be such during his term of office. The first election for said Justices shall take place at the first election for members of the Legislature after the ratification of this Constitution, and their term of office shall begin on the first. Tuesday after the first Monday in January after their election.

Sec. 3. No person shall ever be appointed or elected as a Justice of the Supreme Court, or Judge of a Circuit Court, or Criminal Court, that is not twenty-five years of age and an attorney-at-law.

Sec. 4. The majority of the Justices of the Supreme Court shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business. The concurrence of two Justices shall be necessary to a decision. The number of terms of the Supreme Court and the times of holding the same shall be regulated by law. All terms shall be held at the capitol of the State.

Sec. 5. The Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction in all cases at law and in equity originating in Circuit Courts, and of appeals from the Circuit Courts in cases arising before Judges of the County Courts in matters pertaining to their probate jurisdiction and in the management of the estates of infants, and in cases of conviction of felony in the criminal courts, and in all criminal cases originating in the Circuit Courts. The court shall have the power to issue writs of mandamus, certiorari, prohibition, quo warranto, habeas corpus, and also all writs necessary or proper to the complete exercise of its jurisdiction. Each of the Justices shall have power to issue writs of habeas corpus to any part of the State upon petition by or on behalf of any person held in actual custody, and may make such writs returnable before himself or the Supreme Court, or any Justice thereof, or before any Circuit Judge.

Sec. 6. The Legislature shall have power to prescribe regulations for calling into the Supreme Court a Judge of the Circuit Court, to hear and determine any matters pending before the court in the place of any Justice thereof that shall be disquali fed or disabled in such case from interest or other cause.

Sec. 7. The Supreme Court shall appoint a Clerk who shall have his office at the capitol, and shall be Librarian of the Supreme Court library.

Sec. 8. There shall be seven Circuit Judges, who shall be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, and who shall hold their office for six years. The State shall be divided into seven Judicial Circuits, and one Judge shall be assigned to each Circuit. Such Judge shall hold at least two terms of his court in each county within his Circuit every year, at such times and places as shall be prescribed by law, and may hold special terms. The Governor may, in his discretion, order a temporary exchange of Circuits by the respective Judges, or order any Judge to hold one or more terms or parts of terms in any other Circuit than that to which he is assigned. Judge shall reside in the Circuit of which he is Judge. cessors to the Judges of the Circuit Courts in office at the ratification of this Constitution shall be appointed and confirmed at the first session of the Legislature after such rati fication.

The

Suc

Sec. 9. The salary of the Justices of the Supreme Court shall be three thousand dollars a year. The salary of each Circuit Judge shall be two thousand five hundred dollars a year.

Sec. 10. Until otherwise defined by the Legislature, the several Judicial Circuits of the State shall be as follows:

The First Judicial Circuit shall be composed of the counties of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington and Jackson.

The Second Judicial Circuit shall be composed of the counties of Gadsden, Liberty, Calhoun, Franklin, Leon, Wakulla and Jefferson.

The Third Judicial Circuit shall be composed of the counties of Madison, Taylor, Lafayette, Hamilton, Suwannee and Columbia.

The Fourth Judicial Circuit shall be composed of the counties of Nassau, Duval, Baker, Bradford, Clay and St. Johns.

The Fifth Judicial Circuit shall be composed of the counties of Putnam, Alachua, Levy, Marion and Sumter.

The Sixth Judicial Circuit shall be composed of the counties of Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Polk and Monroe.

The Seventh Judicial Circuit shall be composed of the counties of Volusia. Brevard, Orange and Dade.

Sec. 11. The Circuit Courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in all cases in equity, also in all cases at law, not cognizable by inferior courts, and in all cases involving the legality of any tax, assessment or toll; of the action of ejectment and of all actions involving the titles or boundaries of real estate, and of all criminal cases not cognizable by inferior courts; and original jurisdiction of actions of forcible entry and unlawful detainer, and of such other matters as the Legislature may provide. They shall have final appellate jurisdiction in all civil and criminal cases arising in the County Court, or before the County Judge, of all misdemeanors tried in Criminal Courts, of judgments or sentences of any Mayor's Court, and of all cases arising before Justices of the Peace in counties in which there is no County Court; and supervision and appellate jurisdiction of matters arising before County Judges pertaining to their probate jurisdiction, or to the estates and interests of minors, and of such other matters as the Legislature may provide. The Circuit Courts and Judges shall have power to issue writs of mandamus, injunction, quo warranto, certiorari, prohibition, habeas corpus and all writs proper and necessary to the complete exercise of their jurisdiction.

Sec. 12. The Circuit Courts and Circuit Judges may have such extra territorial jurisdiction in chancery cases as may be prescribed by law.

Sec. 13. It shall be the duty of the Judges of the Circuit Courts to report to the Attorney-General at least thirty days before each session of the Legislature such defects in the laws as may have been brought to their attention, and to suggest such amendments or additional legislation as may be deemed necessary. The Attorney-General shall report to the Legisla ture at each session such legislation as he may deem advisable. Sec. 14. A Circuit Judge may appoint in each county in his Circuit one or more attorneys at law, to be Court Commissioners, who shall have power in the absence from the county of the Circuit Judge, to allow writs of injunction and to issue writs of habeas corpus, returnable before himself or the Circuit Judge. Their orders in such matters may be reviewed by the Circuit Judge, and confirmed, qualified or vacated. They may be removed by the Circuit Judge. The Legislature may confer upon them further powers, not judicial, and shall fix their compensation.

Sec. 15. The Governor, by and with the consent of the Senate, shall appoint a State Attorney in each Judicial Circuit, whose duties shall be prescribed by law, and who shall hold office for four years. There shall be elected in each county a Sheriff, and a Clerk of the Circuit Court, who shall also be Clerk of the County Court, except in counties where there are Criminal Courts, and of the Board of County Commissioners, and Recorder, and ex-officio Auditor of the county, each of whom shall hold office for four years. Their duties shall be prescribed by law.

Sec. 16. There shall be in each county a County Judge who shall be elected by the qualified electors of said county at the time and places of voting for other county officers, and shall hold his office for four years. His compensation shall be provided for by law.

Sec. 17. The County Judge shall have original jurisdiction in all cases at law in which the demand or value of property involved shall not exceed one hundred dollars; of proceedings relating to the forcible entry or unlawful detention of lands and tenements; and of such criminal cases as the Legislature may prescribe. The County Judge shall have jurisdiction of the settlement of the estates of decedents and minors, to order the sale of real estate of decedents and minors, to take probate of wills, to grant letters of testamentary and of administration and guardianship, and to discharge the duties usually pertaining to courts of probate. He shall have the power of a committing magistrate, and shall issue all licenses required by law to be issued in the county.

Sec. 18. The Legislature may organize, in such counties as it may think proper, County Courts, which shall have jurisdiction of all cases at law in which the demand or value of the property involved shall not exceed five hundred dollars; of proceedings relating to the forcible entry or unlawful detention of lands and tenements, and of misdemeanors, and final appellate jurisdiction in civil cases arising in the Courts of Justices of the Peace. The trial of such appeals may be de novo at the option of appellant. The County Judge shall be the Judge of said court. There shall be elected by the qualified electors of said county, at the time when the said Judge is elected, a Prosecuting Attorney for said county, who shall hold office for four years. His duties

and compensation shall be prescribed by law.

may be abolished at the pleasure of the Legislature.

Such courts

Sec. 19. When any civil case at law in which the Judge is disqualified shall be called for trial in a Circuit or County Court, the parties may agree upon an attorney at law, who shall be Judge ad litem, and shall preside over the trial of and make orders in said cause as if he were Judge of the court. The parties may, however, transfer the cause to another Circuit Court or County Court, as the case may be, or he may have the case submitted to a referee.

Sec. 20. Any civil cause may be tried before a practicing attorney as referee upon the application of the parties and an order from the court in whose jurisdiction the case may be, authorizing such trial and appointing such referee. The referee shall keep a complete record of the case, including the evidence taken, and such record shall be filed with the papers in the case in the office of the Clerk; and the cause shall be subject to an appeal in the manner prescribed by law.

Sec. 21. The County Commissioners of each county shall divide it into as many Justice districts, not less than two, as they may deem necessary. There shall be elected one Justice of the Peace for each of the said districts. He shall hold his office for four years.

Sec. 22. In each county where there is no County Court, as provided for in section eighteen of this article, the Justices of the Peace shall have jurisdiction in cases at law in which the demand or value of the property involved does not exceed one hundred dollars, and in which the cause of action accrued, or the defendant resides, in his district; and in such criminal cases, except felonies, as may be prescribed by law; and in counties where County Courts are established, as provided for in section eighteen of this article, every Justice of the Peace shall have jurisdiction in cases at law in which the demand or value of the property does not exceed fifty dollars, and in which the cause of action accrued, or the defendant resides, in his district; and he shall have power to issue process for the arrest of persons charged with crime, and to make the same returnable before himself or the County Judge, for examination, discharge, commitment or bail of the accused. Justices of the Peace shall have power to hold inquests of the dead. Appeals from Justices of the Peace Courts to Circuit Courts in criminal cases shall be