§ 2. [Court of appeals.]—There shall be a court of appeals, composed of eight judges, of whom four shall be elected by the electors of the state for eight years, and four selected from the class of justices of the supreme court having the shortest time to serve. Provision shall be made by law for designating one of the number elected as chief judge, and for selecting such justices of the supreme court, from time to time, and for so classifying those elected, that one shall be elected every second year.
§ 3. [Supreme court.]—There shall be a supreme court, having general jurisdiction in law and equity.
§ 4. [Judicial districts.]—The state shall he divided into eight judicial districts, of which the city of New York shall be one; the others to be bounded by county lines, and to be compact and equal in population, as nearly as may be. There shall be four justices of the supreme court in each district, and as many more in the district composed of the city of New York as may, from time to time, be authorized by law, but not to exceed in the whole such number in proportion to its population as shall be in conformity. with the number of such judges in the residue of the state, in proportion to its population. They shall be classified so that one of the justices of each district shall go out of office at the end of every two years. After the expiration of their terms under such classification, the term of their office shall be eight years.
§ 5. [Legislature may alter jurisdiction and proceedings in law and equity.]—The legislature shall have the same powers to alter and regulate the jurisdiction and proceedings in law and equity as they have heretofore possessed.
§ 6. [General and special term; circuits; oyer and terminer.]—Provision may he made, by law, for designating, from time to time, one or more of the said justices, who is not a judge of the court of appeals, to preside at the general terms of the said court, to be held in the several districts. Any three or more of the said justices, of whom one of the said justices so designated shall always be one, may hold such general terms. Any one or more of the justices may hold special terms, and circuit courts, and any one of them may preside in courts of oyer and terminer in any county.
§ 7. [Compensation of judges.]—The judges of the court of appeals and justices of the supreme court shall severally receive, at stated times, for their services, a compensation, to be established by law, which shall not be increased or diminish1ed during their continuance in office.
§ 8. [Judges to hold no other office.]—They shall not hold any other office or public trust. All votes for either of them for any elective office (except that of justice of the supreme court or judge of the court of appeals) given by the legislature or the people shall be void. They shall not exercise any power of appointment to public office. Any male citizen, of the age of twenty-one years, of good moral character, and who possesses the requisite qualifications of learning and ability, shall be entitled to admission to practice in all the courts of this state.
§ 9. [Legislature to classify judges and fix terms of court.]— The classification of the justices of the supreme court, the times and place of holding the terms of the court of appeals, and of the general and special terms of the supreme court, within the several districts, and the circuit courts and courts of oyer
