Constitution of Iowa — Article XI

Publisher edition notice: This collection preserves the publisher's complete codified constitution, including its amendment notes. Later changes beyond the linked publisher compilation have not been independently verified.

Article XI

MISCELLANEOUS. Section 1. Justice of peace — jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of justices of the peace shall extend to all civil cases, (except cases in chancery, and cases where the question of title to real estate may arise,) where the amount in controversy does not exceed one hundred dollars, and by the consent of parties may be extended to any amount not exceeding three hundred dollars.* Nonindictable misdemeanors, jurisdiction, see codified Iowa Constitution, Art. I, §11 *This provision appears to have been superseded or may be obsolete, see this codified Iowa Constitution, Art. V, §1; the office of justice of peace was abolished by 1972 Acts, ch 1124 Sec. 2. Counties. No new county shall be hereafter created containing less than four hundred and thirty two square miles; nor shall the territory of any organized county be

-- 25 of 27 --

ART. XI, §2, CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA (CODIFIED) xxvi reduced below that area; except the county of Worth, and the counties west of it, along the northern boundary of this state, may be organized without additional territory. Sec. 3. Indebtedness of political or municipal corporations. No county, or other political or municipal corporation shall be allowed to become indebted in any manner, or for any purpose, to an amount, in the aggregate, exceeding five per centum on the value of the taxable property within such county or corporation — to be ascertained by the last state and county tax lists, previous to the incurring of such indebtedness. Statutory limitation, Iowa Code §346.24 Sec. 4. Boundaries of state. The boundaries of the state may be enlarged, with the consent of Congress and the general assembly. See boundary compromise agreements at the end of the last volume of the Iowa Code Sec. 5. Oath of office. Every person elected or appointed to any office, shall, before entering upon the duties thereof, take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States, and of this state, and also an oath of office. See Iowa Code §63.10 Sec. 6. How vacancies filled. In all cases of elections to fill vacancies in office occurring before the expiration of a full term, the person so elected shall hold for the residue of the unexpired term; and all persons appointed to fill vacancies in office, shall hold until the next general election, and until their successors are elected and qualified. Sec. 7. Land grants located. The general assembly shall not locate any of the public lands, which have been, or may be granted by Congress to this state, and the location of which may be given to the general assembly, upon lands actually settled, without the consent of the occupant. The extent of the claim of such occupant, so exempted, shall not exceed three hundred and twenty acres. Sec. 8. Seat of government established — state university. The seat of government is hereby permanently established, as now fixed by law, at the city of Des Moines, in the county of Polk; and the state university, at Iowa City, in the county of Johnson. In January of 1855, the fifth general assembly established a commission to relocate the seat of government to within two miles of the junction of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers in Polk county, see 1855 Acts, ch 72