. 14 ·' (,1 Z
I FISCAL COURT 1
The fiscal and governmental affairs of Fayette County, now controlled by A
the fiscal court, were originally administered by various other tribunals, pat- ;
termed after the court system 0f Virginia. Prior to l730, when Fayette County N
was officially created, fiscal court functions in this territofy were almost
entirely carried on by the county courts of Virginia. In 1792 the first con- l
stihution of Kentucky provided for a county court in Fayette County with a com- §
petenb number of justices appointed for life by the governor (Const. of 1792,
, Arts. 11, v). ` Y
The county court met monthly, consisting of the justices of the peace of ¥
the county, except those acting as justices of the quarter session. Any three I
could compose a court. Besides its other jurisdiction, the fiscal powers of
the county court extended over cases regarding mills and roads, and included all {
cases which the county courts of Virginia hud jurisdiction of, except those I
given to the quarterly courts. The court was also authorized to lay off thc =
county into districts and appoint constablcs for each district (Littcll, Stub- I
utc Laws of Kentucky, Vol. I, pp. 90, 101). The same your the court was given
power to settle the accounts of shcriffs and to levy money on the county for
thc payment of thc stutc's attorney for thc county (Ibid., 203). Subsequent
fiscal duties and powers added to the county court wcrc: T0 providu for the
poor in thc county in laying the county lcvy (Ibid., 191); to establish ferries,
purchase sites for county seats, erect public buildings, and make rules for _
county prisons (Ibid., 561, 575); and to designate a place for the inspection Q
of flour and hemp and supervise thc same (Ibid., 235, 512). i
In 1799 a second ccnstitution was adopted providing that g county court f
should bc established and a competent number 0f justices 0f the peace ampcintcd %
(Const. 0f 1799, Art. IV); that the county court should recommend persons to E
tHE_@0v0rn0r FE} appointment to thc 0ffic»s 0f justicws of thc peace, surveyor {
and coroner (Ibid.); that said court be authorized to appoint inspectors and “ T
A other inferior officers within the county (Ibid., Art. III); and that cuch ` l _ {
court should appoint its own clerk (Ibid., Art. IV). This constitution did not ‘ i
change the functions 0f nor the 0fffE$?§ composing thc court. Legislation {
authorized thc county court to appoint m person to protect the public buildings 1
(Morchuud and Brown, Digest, Vol. I, p. 275); to modify and change c0nst&b1cs’
‘ districts (Ibid., 423, 425;; and to appoint inspectors, collectors, dcputics,
4 _ survuyors of the highways, ccnstnblcs and county jailqrs (Ibid., 506). It was
required that a majority of thc justicus in the county should concur when thc M
court laid the county levy 0r made orders for thu erection cf bridges or pub~
lic buildings, and they were givcn powur to lay a levy covering the amount of
claims against the county (Ibid., 506, 507). The county court was also given
power to permit gates to bc erected across roads and to havc them removed or `
repaired (Ibid., 509); to appoint patrnllers (Ibid., 1257); to provide f»r thc {
poor and widows and build poorhcuscs (Ibid., 15245; to appoint tax commission- —”
Grs (Ibid., 1584); tc lay off school districts (ibid., 1418); to crpct 2 pound *’
ub the courthouse (Ibid., 1515); to sell certain unipproprimted linds (Lough- Q?
b0r0ugh, Digest, p. 386); and to procure for usc in the county u s»t of wuighbs E‘
and mumsurps Qégfs of the General Asscqglx, 1859, p. 84). ‘i
P third constitution was adoptcd in 1850, establishing 3 county cwurt com- ?"
Sisting Mf L cwuuty judge mnd bww associate judges ulmctcd for u term *f fwur E
yG&rS ¢¤ch, two of whqm cpmld transact busi¤»ss (Cwnst. nf 1850, Secs. 29, 50). i
The jurisdiction ¤f th; cwurt rmmaincd thu same as wiz provivusly vcu#cd in tho ?
cwunty cwurts until it should b; ch;n;¤d by lvw (Ibid., 55), The cjuuty was
divided inti juskic»s’ districts with tw» jusbic·s to be aluctwd frmm wmch lin-
trict (Ibid., 34). By the crnskitutinn JT 1850 aha G moral Assembly was givan  
p war to pr vide that th; justices of hhv pcucc shwuld sib it th; c`urt of J
G]&ims ind lwvy of @hc cougty ccurt unl assist in laying bhp cvunhy luvy and /
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