Article XI, Iowa Constitution

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Article XI of the Iowa Constitution is labeled Miscellaneous. It has eight sections.

Section 1

	Text of 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, Art. I, §11.

The office of justice of peace has been abolished by 72 Acts, ch. 1124.

Section 2

	Text of Section 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 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.

Section 3

Text of Section 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, §346.24 of the Code. See 72 Acts, ch. 1088.

Section 4

	Text of Section 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 Volume IV of the Code.

Section 5

	Text of Section 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 §63.10 of the Code.

Section 6

	Text of Section 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.

Section 7

	Text of Section 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.

Section 8

	Text of Section 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.

See 1855 Acts, ch. 72.

See also

• State constitution
• Constitutional article
• Constitutional amendment
• Constitutional revision
• Constitutional convention
• Amendments
  • Initiated constitutional amendment
  • Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
  • Publication requirements for proposed state constitutional amendments
  • Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions
  • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures

External links

Suggest a link

• Iowa.gov, "Iowa Constitution"
• Iowa.gov, "Amendments to the Constitution of Iowa"

Additional reading

• Iowa, Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh (1902). The Constitution of the State Of Iowa, State Historical Society of Iowa
• Stark, Jack (1998). The Iowa State Constitution: A Reference Guide, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press