The Court of Appeals has appellate jurisdiction in cases appealed from certain city courts, and in criminal cases, not capital, appealed from the superior courts.  The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction in civil cases appealed from the superior courts, and in all cases of conviction of capital crime.  The Supreme Court also settles any question as to the meaning of the Constitution, and as to the constitutionality of a State law.  It is the highest judicial authority in the State.

COUNTIES.—­The State is divided into one hundred and forty-eight counties, and each county into militia districts, according to its size and population.  Every militia district in the State must contain at the time of its organization at least one hundred male residents over twenty-one years of age who are subject to militia duty, and no militia district can be reduced in population below this requirement by the formation of a new one.  While no additional counties can be created in the State except by a constitutional amendment, one may be abolished or merged into adjoining counties by a two-thirds majority of the voters of the county.

Each county in the State has an organized government, with powers delegated to it by the State government.  These powers are largely administrative, and have for their chief purpose the enforcement of general laws.  Each county is a body corporate, with the power to sue or be sued in any court, make contracts, and buy and sell real estate.  Its debt cannot exceed seven per cent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property.

ORDINARY.—­The office of ordinary is the most important in the county.  He is the principal administrative officer in the county.  When sitting for county purposes he has exclusive jurisdiction in directing and controlling all county property and in levying general and special taxes.  He has control over all roads and bridges, establishes and alters election precincts and militia districts, appoints officers to fill all vacancies in the county.  He audits the accounts of all county officers, makes rules and regulations for the relief of the poor.  He issues marriage licenses, pays pensions to Confederate veterans, licenses and regulates peddling, and collects special taxes assessed by the State.  He is elected for a term of four years.

He is both a judicial and an administrative officer.  His judicial duties have been explained.

A part of his administrative duties as to roads and revenues is performed in some counties by a board of county commissioners.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.—­A board of county commissioners may be created by the General Assembly to administer the executive powers of the ordinary.  The powers of the commissioners differ in the various counties, and their duties are prescribed by the act creating them.  They are called commissioners of roads and revenues.  When county commissioners are provided for by legislative enactment the ordinary ceases to perform the duties given to the commissioners.