2604                                          LAWS OF MARYLAND                                Ch. 915

Section 3-408.1 be and it is hereby added to Article —
Courts and Judicial Proceedings, of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1974 Volume and 1975 Supplement) to read as
follows:

Article — Courts and Judicial Proceedings

3-40 8. 1.

(A)    IN THIS SECTION, "COMMISSIONER," "LAND," AND
"PATENT" HAVE THE SAME MEANINGS AS PROVIDED IN TITLE 13
OF THE REAL PROPERTY ARTICLE.

(B)    A COURT SHALL RENDER A DECLARATORY JUDGMENT IN
A LAND PATENT PROCEEDING ON BEING REQUESTED TO DO SO
UNDER §13-407 OF THE REAL PROPERTY ARTICLE. THE PARTY
FILING FOR THE DECLARATORY JUDGMENT SHALL ATTACH AS
EXHIBITS COPIES OF ANY RELEVANT MATERIAL FILED WITH THE
COMMISSIONER.

(C)    THE DECLARATION SHALL BE MADE ACCORDING TO THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBTITLE AND TITLE 13 OF THE REAL
PROPERTY ARTICLE. THE DECLARATORY JUDGMENT MAY BE
APPEALED AS PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE AND THE MARYLAND
RULES.

(D)    THE DECLARATION OF THE COURT SHALL BE BINDING
ON ALL OF THE LAND, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SOME OF THE
LAND IS LOCATED IN A COUNTY OTHER THAN WHERE THE COURT IS
LOCATED.

SECTION 6. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That any
uncompleted part of a land patent proceeding commenced
prior to the effective date of this Act and not
terminated, shall be governed for the remainder of the
proceeding by the applicable provisions of this Act.

SECTION 7. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That all
forms of warrants not provided for in this Act are
abolished, including common warrants, special warrants,
escheat warrants, and proclamation warrants.

SECTION 8. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
does not alter, abridge, or in any manner affect the
rights of any person deriving title through any valid
patent issued before the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 9. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this
Act shall take effect July 1, 1976.

Approved May 25, 1976.