Chap. 38.—An ACT to prescribe and define the Jurisdiction of the County
and Corporation Courts of the Commonwealth, and the Times and Places
of Holding the same. |

Approved April 2, 1870.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That chapter one
hundred and fifty-seven of the Code of Virginia (edition of
eighteen hundred and sixty), be amended and re-enacted so as
to read as follows: ,

County courte.

“$1. For every county there shall be a court, called the
county court, which shall be held by a judge learned in the
law of the state, and be known as the county court judge,
who shall be chosen by the general assembly in the same man-
ner as judges of the circuit courts.

Terms of county courts.

$2. There shall be held in each county of this common-
wealth, monthly, a term of the county court, te be held at the
times prescribed by law, and with the jurisdiction hereinafter
provided. The court may from time to time change the day
for the commencement of the terms thereof. The clerk of
such court, within thirty days after any such change, shall send
a copy of the order making it to the clerk of the house of
delegates.

Civil jurisdiction of county courts.

‘$3. The county courts shall have jurisdiction to hear and
determine all cases at law and in chancery, within such county,
which are now pending, and which may hereafter be brought
in said courts, except civil causes, to recover property or
money, not of greater value or amount than twenty dollars,
exclusive of interest, and except such cases as are by law spe-
cially assigned to some other tribunal.

“The said courts shall also have jurisdiction to hear and
determine all motions, matters and things made cognizable
therein by any statute, or authorized by law to be done by or
in such courts; and where motions to recover money are
allowed in a county court, otherwise than under the sixth sec-
tion of chapter one hundred and sixty-seven of the Code, such
courts may hear and determine the same, although it be to re-
cover less than twenty dollars. The powers, duties, authority,
and jurisdiction of said courts, shall be and continue as now
provided by law, except in so far as the same are modified by
the constitution of the state.

‘The said courts shall execute and enforce, by proper
process, and in the manner provided by law, every judgment,
decree or order heretofore entered by the county courts
in their respective counties, and shall supervise, correct, and
enforce, in the like manner, any rule taken, or order, entry or
endorsement heretofore made by the clerks of their said courts.
Criminal jurisdiction of county courts.

“§4.° The county courts, shall have exclusive original juris-.
diction for the trial of all presentments, informations, and in-
dictments for offences committed within their respective
counties, and also of all presentments, informations, and in-
dictments now pending in said courts; except that a person
to be tried for arson, or any felony for which he may be pun-
ished with death, may, upon his arraignment in the county
court, demand to be tried in the circuit court having jurisdic-
tion over the county for which said county court is held.

“$5. If any judge of a county court be unable or fail to
attend a regular term of his court, or be prevented from sit-
ting during the whole term, or be so situated in respect to any
cause pending in said court as in his opinion to make it im-
proper for him to try it, any other county judge may hold
said court either for the whole term or any part thereof.

Corporation or hustings courts.

Ҥ6. For each town or city of the state, containing a popu-
lation of five thousand, there shall be a court called a corpora-
tion court, to be held by a judge with like qualifications, and
elected in the same manner, as judges of the county court.

é

Jurisdiction of corporation courts.

“$7, The several corporation courts of this state shall,
within their respective limits, have the same Jurisdiction as
the circuit courts; and the same jurisdiction as county courts
over all offences committed within their limits; and such
other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon them by law:
provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to
the courts of the city of Richmond.

Ҥ 8, All persons who have heretofore elected to be tried
in the circuit court, shall be tried in said court, anything in
this act to the contrary notwithstanding.

Ҥ9. That no one holding the office of judge in this state,
shall practice law, during his continuance in office, in any court
of this commonwealth.

“$10. That all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the
provisions of this act, be and the same are hereby repealed.

Ҥ11. This act shall take effect and be in force in each of
the counties, cities, and towns of the state, from and after the
commencement of the first term held therein respectively, by
the judge elected under the constitution of the state.”