JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1899

Qualification.

An. Code, sec. 1. 1904, sec. 1.1888, sec. 1. 1852, ch. 172. 1854, ch. 18.

1. Within thirty days after his commission shall have been received
in the clerk's office of the county or city, every justice of the peace shall
take and subscribe the oaths and declaration prescribed by the constitu-
tion ; and upon his failure to do so his office shall be deemed vacant.

An. Code, sec. 2. 1904, sec. 2. 1888, sec. 2. 1814, ch. 82, sec. 3.

2. No person commissioned as a justice of the peace shall act as such
before he has taken the oath and made the declaration required by law;
and every person violating this section shall, for each offense, forfeit and
pay the sum of forty dollars.

An. Code, sec. 3. 1904, sec. 3. 1888, sec. 3. 1814, ch. 82, sec. 4.

3. If any justice of the peace, having qualified as such, shall accept
any office under the government of the United States and shall still act as
justice of the peace, he shall forfeit and pay for every such offense the
sum of forty dollars.

New Election Districts and New Wards of Baltimore City.

An. Code, sec. 4. 1904, sec. 4. 1888, sec. 4. 1852, ch. 274, sec. 3.

4. For each new election district that may be formed and established
in the several counties and for each additional ward that may be created
in the city of Baltimore, there shall be appointed, as prescribed by the
constitution, two justices of the peace, unless a different number be spe-
cially provided by law.

Civil Jurisdiction.

An. Code, sec. 5. 1904, sec. 5. 1888, sec. 5. 1791, ch. 68, sec. 1.

5. Any justice of the peace of the county where the defendant resides
may, if the case be within his jurisdiction, try, hear and determine the
matter in controversy between the plaintiff and defendant upon full hear-
ing of the allegations and evidence of both parties and shall give judg-
ment according to the law of the land and the equity and right of the
matter.

As to the amendment of proceedings before justice of the peace, see art. 75, sec. 39.
(See also art. 52, sec. 14.)

An. Code, sec. 6. 1904, sec. 6. 1888, sec. 6. 1791, ch. 68. 1809, ch. 76, sec. 1. 1824, ch. 138.
1825, ch. 51. 1834, ch. 296. 1852, ch. 239, sec. 1. 1898, ch. 167. 1900, ch. 302.

6. The civil jurisdiction of justices of the peace extends to all cases
for the enforcement of contracts and to obtain redress for wrongs where
the debt or damages claimed shall not exceed one hundred dollars; to all
suits on bonds with penalty exceeding one hundred dollars where the sum
due and claimed does not exceed one hundred dollars; to actions of re-
plevin where the value of the thing in controversy does not exceed one
hundred dollars and which value shall be ascertained by appraisers sum-