Chap. 57.—An ACT to provide, in cities containing 50,000 inhabitants or
more, for the election of a special justice of the peace, to be known as
the justice of the juvenile and domestic relations court, and to prescribe
his jurisdiction and duties. (H. B. 75.)

Approved March 10, 1914.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the
council of any city of this Commonwealth containing fifty thousand
inhabitants or more be, and is, hereby authorized and empowered
to elect a special justice of the peace, to be known as the justice of
the juvenile and domestic relations court, who shall hold office for a
term of four years and until his successor has been appointed and
qualified, unless sooner removed, as hereinafter provided.

3. Such special justice, before entering upon the performance
of his duty, shall take the official oath required by law before the
hustings or corporation court of the city for which he is appointed,
or the judge thereof in vacation.

4, Every special justice elected under the provisions of this
act shall be paid a salary out. of the treasury of the city for which
he shall be elected, and the council of every such city shall fix such
salary and make provision for its payment.

5. Such special justice shall hold court as may be provided by
ordinance of the city for which he is appointed; but he shall be
allowed a vacation period of thirty days during each year. The
judge of the corporation or hustings court of each of said cities
shall, by proper order of record, appoint as a substitute justice of
said juvenile and domestic relations court a discreet and competent
person, and may at any time revoke such appointment, and make a
new appointment in like manner in the event of such revocation,
or of the death, absence or disability of such substitute justice. In
the event of the inability of the justice of the juvenile and domestic
relations court to perform the duties of his office by reason of sick-
ness, absence, vacation or otherwise, such substitute justice shall
perform the duties of the office during such absence or disability,
and in the event of the death, removal, or permanent disability of
the justice, such substitute justice shall act until a successor has
been elected and qualified. Said substitute justice shall receive for,
his services such compensation as the respective city councils shall
determine.

6. The special justices elected under this act may be removed in
the manner prescribed by law for the removal of justices of the
peace or police justices.

7. The special justices elected or appointed under this act shall
be conservators of the peace within the corporate limits of the cities
for which they are respectively appointed and within one mile be-
yond the corporate limits of such cities; and shall have, within
the corporate limits, exclusive original jurisdiction, and, within
the territory one mile beyond said corporate limits, concurrent
jurisdiction with the justices and the circuit courts of the counties,
of all the offenses following. that is to say:

(1) All offenses committed by children under the age of eigh-
teen years against the laws of this Commonwealth or against ordi-
nances of the respective cities for which each justice shall be
elected.

(2) All prosecutions against men charged with ill-treatment,
abuse, abandonment or neglect of their wives, and all prosecutions
against parents, guardians or custodians charged with ill-treatment,
abuse, abandonment or neglect of their children or wards.

(3) All cases involving the prosecution and punishment of per-
sons over the age of eighteen years who are charged with offenses
against children under that age, or with causing, aiding in or con-
tributing to the delinquency or dependency of such children; and,

(4) All cases affecting the protection, care, custody or control
of children under the age of eighteen years, of which justices of the
peace or police justices now have or shall be given jurisdiction; and
said special justices shall, in all such cases, possess the jurisdiction
and exercise all the powers conferred upon justices of the peace
and police justices by the laws of this State. Such justices shall have
such other powers and jurisdiction as may be conferred upon them
by the councils of their respective cities, not in conflict with the
Constitution and laws of the United States and of the State of
Virginia. There shall be an appeal from the judgment of such
special justice to the corporation or hustings court of the. corpora-
tion, as now or hereafter provided by law from the judgments of
justices of the peace or police justices.

8. Each of such cities shall provide a suitable courtroom and
office for such special justice, and shall furnish all necessary furni-
ture, filing cabinets, dockets, books, stationery, et cetera. All such
property and all records of the court shall be under the control of
such justice and shall not be removed or examined by any person
without the consent of said justice.

9. The council of each of such cities shall have the power to
elect a clerk and a bailiff for said juvenile and domestic relations
court, and to fix the compensation that each shall receive for his
services, which compensation shall be paid out of the city treasury.

The said clerk shall keep the court docket and shall perform
such other duties as the city council may prescribe or the justice of
said court shall require of him.

The said bailiff shall have charge of the courtroom and _ the
offices connected therewith, and he shall be held responsible for the
safekeeping and proper protection of the furniture and other prop-
erty contained therein. He shall have the care of keeping, cleaning,
warming and lighting said courtroom and offices. He shall attend
all court sessions held by the said justice and shall perform such
other services as may be required of him by the said justice. The
said bailiff shall have the power and authority of a police officer.
The council of any city wherein a juvenile and domestic relations
court shall be created may, by ordinance, delegate to the justice of
such court the power to select either or both of the above named
persons.

10. All special justices elected under this act shall enter upon
their duties the first day of January next succeeding their election,
cr on the first of such month as the respective city councils may
designate.

11. All acts, parts of acts or charter provisions in conflict with
this act are hereby repealed.