§ 17. a. Courts for towns, villages and cities outside the city of New
York are continued and shall have the jurisdiction prescribed by the
legislature but not in any respect greater than the jurisdiction of the
district court as provided in section sixteen of this article.

b. The legislature may regulate such courts, establish uniform
jurisdiction, practice and procedure for city courts outside the city of
New York and may discontinue any village or city court outside the city
of New York existing on the effective date of this article. The
legislature may discontinue any town court existing on the effective
date of this article only with the approval of a majority of the total
votes cast at a general election on the question of a proposed
discontinuance of the court in each such town affected thereby.

c. The legislature may abolish the legislative functions on town
boards of justices of the peace and provide that town councilmen be
elected in their stead.

d. The number of the judges of each of such town, village and city
courts and the classification and duties of the judges shall be
prescribed by the legislature. The terms, method of selection and method
of filling vacancies for the judges of such courts shall be prescribed
by the legislature, provided, however, that the justices of town courts
shall be chosen by the electors of the town for terms of four years from
and including the first day of January next after their election.