Page:Arkansas Constitution 1874 (published 1913).pdf/21

Rh Sec. 6. A judge of the Supreme Court shall be at least thirty years of age, of good moral character, and learned in the law; a citizen of the United States and two years a resident of the State, and who has been a practicing lawyer eight years, or whose service upon the bench of any court of record, when added to the time he may have practiced law, shall be equal to eight years. The judges of the Supreme Court shall be elected by the qualified electors of the State and shall hold their offices during the term of eight years from the date of their commissions; but at the first meeting of the court after the first election under this Constitution the judges shall by lot divide themselves into three classes, one of which shall hold his office for four, one for six and the other for eight years, after which each judge shall be elected for a full term of eight years. A record shall be made in the court of this classification

Sec. 7. The Supreme Court shall appoint its clerk and reporter, who shall hold their offices for six years, subject to removal for good cause.

Sec. 8. The terms of the Supreme Court shall be held at the seat of government at the times that now are, or may be, provided by law.

Sec. 9. In case all or any of the judges of the Supreme Court shall be disqualified from presiding in any cause or causes, the court or the disqualified judge shall certify the same to the governor, who shall immediately commission the requisite number of men learned in the law to sit in the trial and determination of such causes.

Sec. 10. The supreme judges shall at stated times receive a compensation for their services to be ascertained by law, which shall not be, after the adjournment of the next General Assembly, diminished during the time for which they shall have been elected. They shall not be allowed any fees or perquisites of office nor hold any other office, nor hold any office of trust or profit under the State or the United States.

Sec. 11. The circuit courts shall have jurisdiction in all civil and criminal eases, the exclusive jurisdiction of which may not be vested in some other court provided for by this constitution.

Sec. 12. The circuit courts shall hold their terms in each county at such times and places as are, or may be, prescribed by law.

Sec. 13. The State shall be divided into convenient circuits, each circuit to be made up of contiguous counties, for each of which circuits a judge shall be elected, who, during his continuance in office, shall reside in and be a conservator of the peace within the circuit for which he shall have been elected.

Sec. 14. The circuit courts shall exercise a superintending control and appellate jurisdiction over county, probate, court of common pleas and corporation courts and justices of the peace, and shall have power to issue, hear and determine all the necessary writs to carry into effect their general and specific powers, any of which writs may be issued upon order of the judge of the appropriate court in vacation.

Sec. 15. Until the General Assembly shall deem it expedient to establish courts of chancery the circuit courts shall have jurisdiction in