DISTRICT COURTS.
Section 11.The District Courts shall have original jurisdiction of all causes both at law and in equity, and such appellate jurisdiction as may be conferred by law. They shall have original jurisdiction to determine all controversies upon relation of any person on behalf of the people, concerning the rights, duties and liabilities of railroad, telegraph, or toll-road companies or corporations.
Section 12.The State shall be divided into judicial districts, in each of which there shall be elected by the electors thereof, one Judge of the District Court therein, whose term of office shall be six years. The Judges of the District Courts may hold courts for each other, and shall do so when required by law.
Section 13.Until otherwise provided by law, said districts shall be four in number, and constituted as follows, viz:
First District—The counties of Boulder, Jefferson, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Summit and Grand.
Second District—The counties of Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, Weld and Larimer.
Third District—The counties of Park, El Paso, Tremont, Pueblo, Bent, Las Animas and Huerfano.
Fourth District—The counties of Costilla, Conejos, Rio Grande, San Juan, La Plata, Hinsdale, Saguache and Lake.
Section 14.The General Assembly may, after the year eighteen hundred and eighty, (whenever two-thirds of the members of each House shall concur therein), but not oftener than once in six years, increase the number of the judicial districts and the judges thereof; such districts shall be formed of compact territory and bounded by county lines, but such increase or change in the boundaries of a district shall not work the removal of any judge from his office during the term for which he shall have been elected or appointed.
Section 15.The Judges of the District Court first elected shall be chosen at the first general election. The General Assembly may provide that after the year eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, the election of the Judges of the Supreme, District and County Courts and the District Attorneys, or any of them, shall be on a different day from that on which an election is held for any other purpose, and for that purpose may extend or abridge the term of office of any such officers then holding, but not in any case more than six months. Until otherwise provided by law, such officers shall be elected at the time of holding the general elections. The terms of office of all Judges of the District Court, elected in the several districts throughout the State, shall expire on the same day; and the terms of office of the district attorneys elected in the several districts throughout the State shall, in like manner expire on the same day.
