State ex rel. Lytle v. Superior Court

Citations

• 54 Wash. 378
• 103 P. 464
• 1909 Wash. LEXIS 1004

Syllabus

<p>■ Courts — Establishment—Counties—-Division Into Judicial Districts — Constitutional Law. Const, art. 4, § 5, providing that there shall be in each county of the state a superior court, with one or more judges thereof, provides for but one court in a county, and is violated by Laws 1909, p. 82, providing that the county commissioners may divide a county into independent judicial districts, each of which is a judicial unit, with its own seal, officers, records, and with jurisdictions restricted to the limits of the district, from which jurors are drawn and changes of venue granted or received, and a distinctive style of actions and proceedings is employed, and providing that in criminal actions, each district shall be considered as a separate constitutional county.</p> <p>Same. Laws 1909, p. 82, providing that the county commissioners, “whenever they determine it to be for the best interests of the people,” may divide a county into judicial districts each of which is constituted a “separate and distinct constitutional county” for the purposes of the act, contravenes Const., art. 11, § 3, which provides that a new county shall not be formed containing less than 2,000 inhabitants.</p> <p>Same. Said act contravenes Const., art. 4, § 6, which confers upon superior courts jurisdiction of all certain enumerated actions and proceedings arising in their respective counties.</p>