Const 1963, art 6, § 26;
The offices of circuit court commissioner and justice of the peace are abolished at the expiration of five years from the date this constitution becomes effective or may within this period be abolished by law. Their jurisdiction, compensation and powers within this period shall be as provided by law. Within this five-year period, the legislature shall establish a court or courts of limited jurisdiction with powers and jurisdiction defined by law. The location of such court or courts, and the qualifications, tenure, method of election and salary of the judges of such court or courts, and by what governmental units the judges shall be paid, shall be provided by law, subject to the limitations contained in this article.
Statutory courts in existence at the time this constitution becomes effective shall retain their powers and jurisdiction, except as provided by law, until they are abolished by law.
There shall be elected in each organized township not to exceed four justices of the peace, each of whom shall hold the office for four years and until his successor is elected and qualified. At the first election in any township they shall be classified as shall be prescribed by law. A justice elected to fill a vacancy shall hold the office for the residue of the unexpired term. The legislature may provide by law for justices in cities.
In civil cases, justices of the peace shall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased to five hundred dollars, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law. They shall also have such criminal jurisdiction and perform such duties as shall be prescribed by law.
The legislature may provide by law for the election of one or more persons in each organized county who may be vested with judicial powers not exceeding those of a judge of the circuit court at chambers.The offices of circuit court commissioner and justice of the peace are abolished at the expiration of five years from the date this constitution becomes effective or may within this period be abolished by law. Their jurisdiction, compensation and powers within this period shall be as provided by law. Within this five-year period, the legislature shall establish a court or courts of limited jurisdiction with powers and jurisdiction defined by law. The location of such court or courts, and the qualifications, tenure, method of election and salary of the judges of such court or courts, and by what governmental units the judges shall be paid, shall be provided by law, subject to the limitations contained in this article.
Statutory courts in existence at the time this constitution becomes effective shall retain their powers and jurisdiction, except as provided by law, until they are abolished by law.
Const 1908, art 7, § 21;
The legislature may provide by law for the election of one or more persons in each organized county who may be vested with judicial powers not exceeding those of a judge of the circuit court at chambers, and who may be vested with like judicial powers as are exercised by justices of the peace, with power to hold court and perform judicial acts anywhere in the county, and who when acting in any city having a municipal justice may be vested with like judicial powers as the municipal justice.
The legislature may provide by law for the election of one or more persons in each organized county who may be vested with judicial powers not exceeding those of a judge of the circuit court at chambers, and who may be vested with like judicial powers as are exercised by justices of the peace, with power to hold court and perform judicial acts anywhere in the county, and who when acting in any city having a municipal justice may be vested with like judicial powers as the municipal justice.
Const 1908, art 7, § 16;
In civil cases justices of the peace shall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars, and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased to one thousand five hundred dollars in cities having a population of more than two hundred fifty thousand inhabitants, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law.
In civil cases
,justices of the peace shall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars, and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased tofive hundredone thousand five hundred dollars in cities having a population of more than two hundred fifty thousand inhabitants, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law.They shall also have such criminal jurisdiction and perform such duties as shall be prescribed by law.
Const 1908, art 7, §§ 15, 16, & 21;
§ 15: There shall be elected in each organized township not to exceed four justices of the peace, each of whom shall hold the office for four years and until his successor is elected and qualified. At the first election in any township they shall be classified as shall be prescribed by law. A justice elected to fill a vacancy shall hold the office for the residue of the unexpired term. The legislature may provide by law for justices in cities.
§ 16: In civil cases, justices of the peace shall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased to five hundred dollars, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law. They shall also have such criminal jurisdiction and perform such duties as shall be prescribed by law.
§ 21: The legislature may provide by law for the election of one or more persons in each organized county who may be vested with judicial powers not exceeding those of a judge of the circuit court at chambers.
§ 15: There shall be elected in each organized township not
exceedingto exceed four justices of the peacein each organized township. They shall be elected by the electors of the townships,andeach of whom shall holdtheir officesthe office for four years,and untiltheir successors arehis successor is elected and qualified. At the first election in any township,they shall be classified as shall be prescribed by law. A justice elected to fill a vacancy shall holdhisthe office for the residue of the unexpired term. The legislature mayincrease the number ofprovide by law for justices in cities.§ 16: In civil cases, justices of the peace shall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars
,and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased to five hundred dollars, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law. They shall also have such criminal jurisdiction and perform such duties as shall be prescribed bythe Legislaturelaw.§ 21: The legislature may provide by law for the election of one or more persons in each organized county
,who may be vested with judicial powers,not exceeding those of a judge of the circuit court at chambers.
Const 1874, art 6, §§ 15 & 16;
§ 15: There shall be not exceeding four justices of the peace in each organized township. They shall be elected by the electors of the townships, and shall hold their offices for four years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. At the first election in any township, they shall be classified as shall be prescribed by law. A justice elected to fill a vacancy shall hold his office for the residue of the unexpired term.
§ 16: In civil cases justices of the peace shall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars, and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased to five hundred dollars, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law. They shall also have such criminal jurisdiction, and perform such duties, as shall be prescribed by the Legislature.
§ 15: There shall be not exceeding four justices of the peace in each organized township. They shall be elected by the electors of the townships, and shall hold their offices for four years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. At the first election in any township, they shall be classified as shall be prescribed by law. A justice elected to fill a vacancy shall hold his office for the residue of the unexpired term.
The Legislature may increase the number of justices in cities.§ 16: In civil cases justices of the peace shall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars, and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased to five hundred dollars, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law. They shall also have such criminal jurisdiction, and perform such duties, as shall be prescribed by the Legislature.
Const 1868, art 7, §§ 17 & 18;
§ 17: There shall be not exceeding four justices of the peace in each organized township, who shall be elected by the electors of the township, and shall hold their office for four years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. A justice elected to fill a vacancy, shall hold his office for the residue of the unexpired term. The Legislature may increase the number of justices in cities.
§ 18: Justices of the peace shall have such civil and criminal jurisdiction, and perform such duties as shall be prescribed by law.
§ 17: There shall be not exceeding four justices of the peace in each organized township
.,Theywho shall be elected by the electors of the townshiptownships, and shall hold theirofficesoffice for four years, and until their successors are elected and qualified.At the first election in any township, they shall be classified as shall be prescribed by law.A justice elected to fill a vacancy, shall hold his office for the residue of the unexpired term. The Legislature may increase the number of justices in cities.§ 18:
In civil casesJustices of the peaceshall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars, and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased to five hundred dollars, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law. Theyshallalsohave such civil and criminal jurisdiction, and perform such duties as shall be prescribed by lawthe Legislature.
Const 1850, art 6, §§ 16, 17, & 18;
§ 16: The Legislature may provide by law for the election of one or more persons in each organized county, who may be vested with judicial powers, not exceeding those of a judge of the circuit court at chambers.
§ 17: There shall be not exceeding four justices of the peace in each organized township. They shall be elected by the electors of the townships, and shall hold their offices for four years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. At the first election in any township, they shall be classified as shall be prescribed by law. A justice elected to fill a vacancy shall hold his office for the residue of the unexpired term. The Legislature may increase the number of justices in cities.
§ 18: In civil cases justices of the peace shall have exclusive jurisdiction to the amount of one hundred dollars, and concurrent jurisdiction to the amount of three hundred dollars, which may be increased to five hundred dollars, with such exceptions and restrictions as may be provided by law. They shall also have such criminal jurisdiction and perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the Legislature.
Const 1835, art 6, § 6;
Each township may elect four justices of the peace, who shall hold their offices for four years, and whose powers and duties shall be defined and regulated by law. At their first election, they shall be classed and divided by lot into numbers one, two, three, and four, to be determined in such manner as shall be prescribed by law, so that one justice shall be annually elected in each township thereafter. A removal of any justice from the township in which he was elected, shall vacate his office. In all incorporated towns, or cities, it shall be competent for the legislature to increase the number of justices.
See also: Const 1963, art 6, § 20
