Florida County Court Systems Amendment (1904)
| Florida County Court Systems Amendment | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic State judicial authority and State judiciary structure |
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| Status |
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| Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment |
Origin |
Florida County Court Systems Amendment was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Florida on November 8, 1904. It was defeated.
A “yes” vote supported establishing the county court systems. |
A “no” vote opposed establishing the county court systems. |
Election results
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Florida County Court Systems Amendment |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 3,750 | 38.37% | ||
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6,023 | 61.63% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for County Court Systems Amendment was as follows:
| “ | Article V, Section 18.—Establishing county courts, prescribing their jurisdiction, requiring the county judge to be an attorney at law and providing for the election of prosecuting attorneys. | ” |
Full Text
The full text of this measure is available here.
Constitutional changes
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Section 18. The legislature may organize in such counties as it may think proper county courts which shall have jurisdiction of all cases at law in which the demand or value of the property involved shall not exceed five hundred dollars; of proceedings relating to the forcible entry or unlawful detention of lands and tenements, and of misdemeanors, and final appellate jurisdiction in civil cases arising in the courts of the justices of the peace. The trial of such appeals may be de novo at the option of the appellant. The county judge shall be the judge of the county court, and shall be an attorney-at-law. There shall be elected by the qualified electors of said county at the time when the said judge is elected a prosecuting attorney for said county, who shall hold office for four years. His duties and compensation shall be prescribed by law. Such courts may be abolished at the pleasure of the Legislature. Provided that all county judges holding said office at the ratification of this amendment shall continue in the exercise of the duties thereof according to their respective commissions and until their successors are duly qualified, and provided further, that when any county court shall hereafter be established in any county in this State, the county judge of said county shall hold his office and perform the duties of judge of the county court until his term of office shall expire. |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Florida Constitution
A 60% vote was required during one legislative session for the Florida State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounted to a minimum of 51 votes in the Florida House of Representatives and 18 votes in the Florida State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments did not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. Amendments on the ballot required a simple majority vote in this year.
See also
External links
- Florida Constitution Revision Commission, "Florida's Constitutions: The Documentary History"
- Tampa Morning Tribune, "DUMMY BALLOT," November 5, 1904
Footnotes
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State of Florida Tallahassee (capital) |
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