mesne or judicial, or other proceeding, issuing from the said court, in the respective district, at the election of the party suing out the same.

"Section 12. Provided nevertheless, That judicial process which shall bear teste on the first day of any term as aforesaid, shall not be made returnable on the last day of the same term, except in such cases and for such purposes only, as the said court by their rules or by special order appoint and direct.

"Section 13. The last Monday in July, in each and every year, shall be a common day for the teste and return of all writs and process issuing out of the said court in the eastern district aforesaid, in the same manner as at the regular terms of the said court.

"Section 14. The said Supreme Court is authorized also to appoint special return days in the said court, in term time or vacation, in each and every of the districts aforesaid, for the convenience of suitors and the furtherance of justice, and the days and times so appointed, having been entered upon the records of the said court for the respective district, shall thenceforth be deemed legal return days therein.

"Section 15. The judges of the Supreme Court shall have power to prescribe, by rule of court, certain days within the terms thereof, to be holden as aforesaid, for the return of writs from the several judicial districts comprised within the respective district of the said Supreme Court, and the causes returned thereon shall be taken up in the order so established.

"II. OF THE SUPREME COURT AT NISI PRIUS

"Section 16. The Supreme Court, in term time, or a majority of the judges thereof in vacation, are empowered and enjoined, when occasion shall require, to direct the holding of courts of Nisi Prius in the city of Philadelphia, for the city and county of Philadelphia, before the said judges, or some one or more of them, at such days, and during such times, as they shall designate.

"Section 17. The judges of the Supreme Court shall severally, as often as may be consistent with their other duties, and at least once in every year, at such times and for such periods as they shall appoint, hold courts of Nisi Prius within the city and county of Philadelphia and not elsewhere.

"III. OF THE COURTS OF COMMON PLEAS

"Section 18. There shall be holden and kept, in every of the counties of this Commonwealth, a court of record, the name and style whereof shall be "the Court of Common Pleas of the (respective) county."

"Section 19. The Courts of Common Pleas of the several counties of this Commonwealth, except the county of Philadelphia, are hereby declared to consist of a president judge and two associate judges.

"Section 20. The president and associate judges of the Courts of Common Pleas, or any two of them, or the presiding judge, in the absence of his associates, shall have power to hold the said courts, and to hear and determine all causes, matters and things cognizable, therein according to the constitution, laws and usages of this Commonwealth.

"Section 21. The president or the legal associate judge of the Court of Common Pleas, of the county of Philadelphia, shall have power, from time to time, as may be found requisite to hold a Court of Common Pleas, for the trial of civil issues depending in such court, although two of the judges of the said court should be holding, at the same time, an Orphan's Court, a court of Quarter Sessions, or a Court of Common Pleas.

"Section 22. Every Court of Common Pleas shall have a seal for the use of said court, having engraven thereon such words and devices as are inscribed on the seal now in use in the respective court, and such seal may be renewed, under the direction of such court, as often as occasion shall require.

"Section 23. A prothonotary or clerk shall be appointed, and commissioned for each of the said courts, he shall have the custody of the records and seal of the respective court, and keep the same at the place of holding such court, and in the departments provided, by authority of law, for that purpose. And he shall faithfully perform under the direction of the court, all the duties appertaining to his office.

"Section 24. For the purpose of holding the several courts of Common Pleas, the Commonwealth is hereby declared to be divided into districts, in manner following, to wit:

"The first district consists of the city and county of Philadelphia.

"The second district, of the counties Lancaster and York. "The third district, of the counties, Berks, Northampton, Lehigh.

"The fourth district, of the counties Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre, Jefferson, Clearfield.

"The fifth district, of the county Allegheny.

"The sixth district, of the counties Erie, Crawford, Venango, Warren.

"The seventh district of the counties, Bucks, Montgomery. "The eighth district, of the counties of Columbia, Northumberland, Lycoming, Union.

"The ninth district, of the counties Adams, Cumberland, Perry. "The tenth district, of the counties Westmoreland, Cambria, Armstrong, Indiana.

"The eleventh district, of the counties Luzerne, Pike, Wayne. "The twelfth district, of the counties Schuylkill, Lebanon, Dauphin, Juniata.

"The thirteenth district, of the counties Susquehanna, Bradford, Tioga, Potter, McKean.

"The fourteenth district, of the counties Washington, Fayette, Greene.

"The fifteenth district, of the counties Delaware, Chester.

"The sixteenth district, of the counties Franklin, Bedford, Somerset.

"The seventeenth district, of the counties Beaver, Butler, Mercer.

"Section 25. From and after the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, the counties, Potter, McKean, Warren and Jefferson shall be formed into a separate district, to be called the eighteenth.

"Section 26. It shall be the duty of the Governor, from time to time, as vacancies may occur in the office of a president judge, in any of the said districts, to appoint and commission, under the great seal of this Commonwealth, a person of knowledge and integrity, skilled in the laws, to be president and judges of the courts of Common Pleas, in each of the counties composing the district for which he may be so appointed.

"Section 27. It shall also be the duty of the Governor, from time to time, as any vacancy may occur in the office of judge in any of the said counties, to appoint and commission, in the man

ner aforesaid, a suitable person to be judge of the Court of Common Pleas of such county.

"Section 28. Provided, That on the death, resignation, or removal from office of either of the associate judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the city and county of Philadelphia, appointed previously to the eighth of February, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three, no appointment shall be made to fill the vacancy; but thereafter the said court shall consist of one president, one associate learned in the law, and one other associate appointed as aforesaid.

"Section 29. The Courts of Common Pleas of every county shall be holden four times in every year, at the court house of the respective county, and at and during the times hereinafter specified for each term, if the business depending in the said courts respectively shall require it, to wit:

"In the county of Adams, on the fourth Mondays in January, April, August and November, to continue one week.

"In the county of Allegheny, on the fourth Monday in March, the third Monday in June, the fourth Mondays in October and December, to continue as long as may be necessary, according to the discretion of the court, for the disposal of all causes depending therein.

"In the county of Armstrong, on the third Mondays in March, June, September, and December, to continue one week.

"In the county of Beaver, on the first Mondays in March, June, September and December, to continue one week.

In the county of Bedford, on the fourth Monday in January, the third Monday in April, and the fourth Mondays in August and November, to continue one week.

"In the county of Berks, on the first Mondays in January, April, August and November, to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Bradford, on the second Mondays of February, May, September and December, to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Bucks, on the fourth Monday in April, the second Mondays in September, December and February, to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Butler, on the second Mondays in March, June, September and December, to continue one week.

"In the county of Cambria, on the Mondays following the fourth Mondays in March, June, September and December, to continue one week.

"In the county of Centre, on the fourth Mondays in January, April, August, and November, to continue one week.

"In the county of Chester, on the first Mondays in February, May, August and November, to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Clearfield, on the Mondays next following the fourth Mondays in January, April, August and November, to continue one week.

"In the county of Columbia, on the third Mondays in January, April, August and November, to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Crawford, on the second Mondays in February, April, August and November, to continue one week.

"In the county of Cumberland, on the second Mondays in January, April, August and November, to continue two weeks. "In the county of Dauphin, on the third Mondays in January, April, August and November, to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Delaware, on the fourth Mondays in February, May, August and November, to continue one week.

"In the county of Erie, on the first Mondays in February, May, August and November to continue one week.

"In the county of Fayette, on the first Monday in June, to continue one week, and on the first Mondays in September, January and March, to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Franklin, on the second Monday in January, the first Monday in April, and the second Mondays in August and November to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Greene, on the third Monday in March, the second Monday in June, and the third Mondays in September and November, to continue one week.

"In the county of Huntingdon, on the second Mondays in January, April, August and November, to continue two weeks.

"In the county of Indiana, on the fourth Mondays in March, June, September and December, to continue one week.

"In the county of Jefferson, on the Mondays two weeks after the fourth Mondays in January, April, August and November, to continue one week.

"Provided, That from and after the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, the said courts shall