ARTICLE VII.  JUDICIARY DEPARTMENT

MUNICIPAL COURTS

§51.  Justice of the peace courts; city courts

Section 51.  A.  Abolition of justice of the peace courts; new courts.  The legislature shall have the power to abolish justice of the peace courts in wards embracing the parish seat, or containing cities of more than five thousand inhabitants, and to create in their stead courts with such civil jurisdiction as is now vested in justices of the peace, provided that such courts in cities of not in excess of ten thousand inhabitants shall have civil jurisdiction, concurrent with that of the district court, where the amount in dispute or the value of the movable property involved does not exceed five hundred dollars, exclusive of interest and attorney fees; and with criminal jurisdiction which shall not extend beyond the trial of offenses not punishable by imprisonment at hard labor under the laws of this state; and said courts shall have jurisdiction for holding of preliminary examinations in cases not capital, for the requiring of bonds to keep peace and for the trial of cases covering the violations of municipal and parochial ordinances; and the judges of such courts shall have authority to perform marriage ceremonies.  In addition to all other jurisdiction now vested in the city court of the city of Shreveport, said court shall have criminal jurisdiction of all those portions of the parish of Bossier which are within, or which may later be taken into the city limits of the city of Shreveport.  

B.  Repealed by Acts 1976, No. 84, §3.  

C.  [Implemented by Acts 1975, No. 130, §1, as LSA-R.S. 13:1952.1.]

D.  Judges; compensation; election; term.  The compensation of the Judges of such Courts shall be fixed by the Legislature and shall be paid by the parishes and cities in which they are or may be established, in such proportions as may be provided by law.  The judges of said courts, the city of Baton Rouge excepted, shall be elected for terms of six years; provided that the Legislature may hereafter authorize and direct that the Judge of the City Court of Baton Rouge may be elected for a term of six years.  The Judges of said courts now in office, the City of Baton Rouge excepted, shall remain in office until the 31st day of December, 1954, and every six years thereafter, said judges shall be elected at the election for Representatives in Congress.  

E.  Ordinance violations; jurisdiction.  The Legislature may vest in mayors, or in other municipal officers, such jurisdiction over the violation of municipal ordinances, as may be found necessary.  

F.  [Self-operative].  The provisions of this section shall be self-operative.

(Amended by Acts 1934, No. 79, adopted Nov. 6, 1934; Acts 1936, No. 63, adopted Nov. 3, 1936; Acts 1944, No. 317, adopted Nov. 7, 1944; Acts 1950, No. 564, adopted Nov. 7, 1950; Acts 1956, No. 606, adopted Nov. 6, 1956; Acts 1962, No. 512, adopted Nov. 6, 1962; Acts 1968, No. 692, adopted Nov. 5, 1968.)