Article 6

Article VI.  Judicial Power.

Section 1.     Courts.
Section 2.     Compensation.
Section 3.     To give opinion when required by Governor or either Branch of the Legislature.
Section 4.     Tenure of judicial officers; 6-month holdover period.
Section 5.     Limitation on holding other office.
Section 6.     Judges and registers of probate, election and tenure; vacancies.


Article VI.  Judicial Power.

 Section 1.   Courts.  The judicial power of this State shall be
vested in a Supreme  Judicial Court, and such other courts as the
Legislature shall from time to time establish.

 Section 2.   Compensation.  The Justices of the Supreme Judicial
Court and the  Judges of other courts shall, at stated times
receive a compensation, which shall not be  diminished during
their continuance in office; but they shall receive no other fee
or  reward for their services as Justices or Judges.

 Section 3.   To give opinion when required by Governor or either
Branch of the  Legislature.  The Justices of the Supreme Judicial
Court shall be obliged to give their  opinion upon important
questions of law, and upon solemn occasions, when required by
the Governor, Senate or House of Representatives.

 Section 4.   Tenure of judicial officers; 6-month holdover
period.  All judicial  officers appointed by the Governor shall
hold their offices for the term of 7 years from  the time of
their respective appointments (unless sooner removed by
impeachment or by  address of both branches of the Legislature to
the executive, provided further that justices  of the peace may
be removed from office in such manner as the Legislature may
provide); provided, however, that a judicial officer whose term
of office has expired or  who has reached mandatory retirement
age, as provided by statute, may continue to hold  office until
the expiration of an additional period not to exceed 6 months or
until the  successor to the judicial officer is appointed,
whichever occurs first in time.

 Section 5.   Limitation on holding other office.  No Justice of
the Supreme  Judicial Court or any other court shall hold office
under the United States or any other  state, nor under this
State, except as justice of the peace or as member of the
Judicial  Council.

 Section 6.   Judges and registers of probate, election and
tenure; vacancies.   Judges and registers of probate shall be
elected by the people of their respective counties,  by a
plurality of the votes given in, at the biennial election on the
Tuesday following the  first Monday of November, and shall hold
their offices for 4 years, commencing on the  first day of
January next after their election.  Vacancies occurring in said
offices by  death, resignation or otherwise, shall be filled by
election in manner aforesaid at the November election, next
after their occurrence; and in the meantime, the Governor may
fill said vacancies by appointment, and the persons so appointed
shall hold their offices  until the first day of January next
after the election aforesaid.    Note:  Section 6 of Article VI
has been repealed by Amendment which by virtue of  Chapter 77 of
the Resolves of the One Hundred and Third Legislature, 1967
"shall  become effective at such time as the Legislature by
proper enactment shall establish a  different Probate Court
system with full-time judges."