The Text

The Supreme Court is continued with general jurisdiction in law and equity, subject to such appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals as now is or may be prescribed by law not inconsistent with this article. The existing judicial districts of the State are continued until changed as hereinafter provided. The Supreme Court shall consist of the justices now in office, and of the Judges transferred thereto by the fifth section of this article, all of whom shall continue to be Justices of the Supreme Court during their respective terms, and of twelve additional Justices, who shall reside in and be chosen by the electors of the several existing judicial districts, three in the first district, three in the second, and one in each of the other districts; and of their successors. The successors of said justices shall be chosen by the electors of their respective judicial districts. The Legislature may alter the judicial districts once after every enumeration under the Constitution, of the inhabitants of the State, and thereupon reapportion the Justices to be thereafter elected in the districts so altered.
The Legislature may from time to time increase the number of justices in any judicial district except that the number of justices in the first and second district or in any of the districts into which the second district may be divided, shall not be increased to exceed one justice for each eighty thousand, or fraction over forty thousand of the population thereof, as shown by the last State,or Federal census or enumeration, and except that the number of justices in any other district shall not be increased to exceed one justice for each sixty thousand or fraction over thirty-five thousand of the population thereof as shown by the last State or Federal census or enumeration. The Legislature may erect out of the Second Judicial District as now constituted, another judicial district and apportion the justices in office between the districts, and provide for the election of additional justices in the new district not exceeding the limit herein provided.