rights and powers, and required to perform the like duties as those invested in, and required of the presidents of the five circuits or districts of this commonwealth, in, and by the act, entitled 'An act to establish the judicial courts of this commonwealth, in conformity to the alterations and amendments in the constitution,' passed the thirteenth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.

"Section IV. That any writ of certiorari issued since the passing of the act to which this is a supplement, for the removal of any cause to the supreme or circuit courts, on or before the first day of the next term after the original process therein shall have been returnable, shall be deemed to have legally issued; and from and after the passing of this act, it shall be lawful to issue writs of certiorari, to remove causes to the supreme or circuit courts at any time during the next term after the writ or process therein shall have been returnable, subject nevertheless to all other restrictions contained in the twentieth section of the said act.

"Section V. Whereas, inconveniences have arisen in the county of Washington, from the courts of common pleas in that county, being held at the same time that the supreme court is held in Pittsburg in the county adjoining: Therefore, be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the next April term, the courts of common pleas, quarter sessions of the peace and orphans court for the county of Washington, shall be held on the week preceding the courts in the county of Beaver."

"AN ACT

"Enjoining certain duties on the judges of the Supreme Court."

Passed April 7, 1807, Laws of Pennsylvania 1806-07, page 163. "Section I. That the judges of the Supreme Court are hereby required to examine and report to the next legislature, which of the English statutes are in force in this Commonwealth, and which of those statutes in their opinion, ought to be incorporated into the statute laws of this Commonwealth."

"AN ACT

"Erecting a middle district of the supreme court, and for other purposes." Passed April 10, 1807-08, Laws of Pennsylvania 1806-07, Page 248. "Section I. That a middle district of the supreme court of this Commonwealth shall be, and hereby is erected to consist of the counties of York, Adams, Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Hunt

ingdon, Mifflin, Northumberland, Luzerne, Lycoming, Centre, Clearfield, McKean, Potter and Tioga.

"Sect. II. That there shall be a prothonotary appointed and commissioned for said court, who shall take the same oath or affirmation and give such bond and security as is by law required of the prothonotaries of the eastern and western districts of the supreme court, and shall perform similar duties in his district and be entitled to the same fees as are by law allowed for like services to the prothonotaries of either of said districts.

"Sect. III. That it shall be the duty of the justices of the supreme court to attend and hold one term annually, in and for the middle district at the borough of Sunbury, in the county of Northumberland, on the first Monday of July, and the said term shall continue two weeks, if necessary, to do the business therein depending.

"Sect. IV. That the supreme court hereby directed to be holden, shall have and exercise the same powers, authority and jurisdiction in all cases and respects whatsoever, which are vested by the constitution and laws in the supreme court of this Commonwealth.

"Sect. V. That the prothonotaries of the eastern and western districts of the supreme court, at or before the first day of May, anno Domini, one thousand eight hundred and eight, be and they are hereby each of them empowered and directed to purchase a blank book for the middle district, and to employ a clerk to make out a docket in the same, for the middle district, containing a statement of all actions then pending and undetermined in their respective districts appertaining to the middle district, and shall each of them have the said dockets, together with the records, declarations and other papers respecting all such actions then pending and undetermined as aforesaid, ready to be delivered to the prothonotary of the supreme court for the middle district by the first Monday of June, anno Domini, one thousand eight hundred and eight, and shall deliver the same to him accordingly; the price paid for the said dockets, and the wages of the clerks employed as aforesaid, to be paid to the prothonotaries of the eastern and western districts of the supreme court respectively, out of the state treasury, on warrants drawn by the Governor in the usual manner.

"Section VI. That from and after the first day of May, anno Domini, one thousand eight hundred and eight, all actions pending and undetermined in the eastern or western district of the supreme court, appertaining to the middle district, shall be considered as pending in the supreme court for the said middle district, and the judges of the said court shall, in all respects and in like manner, proceed to determine the same as though the said actions had originated in the supreme court for said middle district.

"Section VII. That the prothonotary of the middle district of the supreme court, to be appointed as by this act is provided, shall be accountable to the prothonotaries of the eastern and western districts of said court, and to all others who may have any interest therein, for all fees which shall have accrued upon the several actions in their respective courts, pending prior to this act taking effect, and the same pay over as shall come to his hands. "Section VIII. That the last Monday in July in each and every year hereafter, shall be a common day of return for the supreme court of the eastern district, at which time all writs and process may be returnable in the same manner as at the regular terms of said court, and may also bear teste on the said day: Provided, That the same be sued out at like periods of time, previous to the days hereby made return days of the said courts respectively, and like directions be observed and performed as are made necessary by law, in writs, process or other proceedings, returnable to the terms of said court; and it shall be the duty of one of the judges of the said Court to attend on the said last Monday of July at the place assigned by law for holding the terms of the said court, to grant rules and to make all necessary orders touching any suit, action, writ of error, process, pleadings or proceedings returned to or depending therein, preparatory to the hearing, trial or decision of such action, suit, writ of error, process, pleadings or proceedings.

"Section IX. That the first court to be holden in Sunbury agreeably to the provisions of this act, shall commence on the first Monday of July, Anno Domini, one thousand eight hundred and eight.

"Section X. That so much of any law or laws as is by this act altered and supplied, be, and the same is hereby repealed."

"A FURTHER SUPPLEMENT

"To an act, entitled ‘An act to alter the judiciary system of this Commonwealth.'"

Passed March 11, 1809, Laws of Pennsylvania, 1808-09-1809-10, Page 36. "Section I. That in addition to the present districts of the supreme court, there shall be two districts, and the same are hereby established as follows: One thereof to be called the Lancaster district, which shall be composed of the counties of Lancaster, York, Berks and Dauphin, and the other thereof to be called the Southern District, which shall be composed of the counties of Cumberland, Bedford, Franklin, Huntingdon and Adams, and there shall be a prothonotary appointed for each of the said districts, each of whom shall take and subscribe the like oath or affirmation, and give the like bonds as are by law required, to be taken and given by the present prothonotaries of the supreme courts, and shall perform the same duties in their respective districts, and be entitled to demand and receive similar fees as are allowed by law for the like services, to the present prothonotaries of the supreme courts, and in like manner be subject to account for the same, and it shall be the duty of the judges of the supreme court to hold one term annually in each of the said districts as follow: At Lancaster, for the Lancaster district, on the third Monday in May, and at Chambersburg, for the Southern district, on the Monday week next following the end of the second week, of the term of the Western district, and each of the said terms shall continue two weeks if necessary to do the business thereof, and they shall hold adjourned courts in each of the said districts whenever the business therein depending may render it necessary; and instead of the time fixed by law for holding the term of the Middle district, the said term shall after this act, shall go into operation, commence and be held on the Wednesday next following the end of the second week of the term of the Lancaster district.

"Section II. That the supreme courts hereby established, shall severally and respectively have, and exercise within the said districts respectively, the same powers, authority and jurisdiction in all cases and respects as are now vested in the supreme courts of the Eastern, Western and middle districts; and as soon as this act shall go into operation, all actions pending and undetermined in the Eastern, Western or middle districts, appertaining to any of

the districts herein established, shall be considered as pending in the supreme court of the proper district, and the judges thereof, in all respects, and in like manner, shall proceed to determine the same as though the said actions had originated in the said supreme courts respectively, and the prothonotaries of the respective districts hereby established, shall be accountable to the present prothonotaries respectively, and to all others who may have an interest therein, for all fees which shall have accrued upon the several actions in their respective courts, pending prior to this act taking effect, and to pay the same over respectively, as they shall receive the same.

"Section III. That the prothonotaries of the Eastern, Western and middle districts, at least one month previous to the time fixed for this act to go into operation, shall respectively purchase blank books, and employ a clerk under their direction respectively, to make out a docket for each of the districts hereby established, containing a statement of all actions then pending and undetermined in their respective courts, appertaining to the said districts respectively, and shall have the said dockets, together with the records, declarations and other papers respecting all such actions then pending and undetermined as aforesaid, ready to be delivered to the prothonotary of the proper district, and shall deliver the same to such prothonotary, as soon as he shall be afterwards appointed and commissioned, and they shall be respectively paid for the said dockets, and the wages of the clerks employed as aforesaid, by warrant to be drawn by the governor, on the treasurer of this commonwealth.

"Section IV. That as soon as the judges of the supreme court of the proper district, shall have finally determined and rendered judgment in any cause, action, matter or thing which shall have been transferred to, or which may be brought therein by appeal, or writ of error, they shall order the records thereof with their decision and determination thereon written, and duly certified to be remitted to the appropriate court of the proper county, which decision, determination or judgment, such court shall duly carry into execution and effect: And provided also, That upon the abolition of the circuit courts, all the proceedings which otherwise would have been remitted to such courts, shall be remitted to the appropriate court of the county, in which court they shall