Arllcle IV
(b) Each full-time clerk of a justice of the peace
designated as tnal magistrate of a People's Court,
of the Municipal Court of Baltimore City, and
the chief constable of the People's Court of
Baltimore City who is in office on the day before
the first Monday in July, 1970, shall become a
deputy clerk of the Distnct Court on the first
Monday in July 1970 The taking effect of the
aforegoing amendments shall not of itself affect
the tenure, term, status, retirement, or compensa-
tion of any person then holding public office, po-
sition, or employment in this State, except as pro-
vided in the amendments
(c) All statutory references to justices of the
peace designated as tnal magistrates, to People's
Courts, to the Municipal Court of Baltimore City
or to the Housing Court of Baltimore County,
shall be deemed to refer to the Distnct Court in the
appropnate distnct, county or Baltimore City, to
the extent not inconsistent with this Constitution
(d) No member of the General Assembly at
which these amendments were proposed, or at
which the number of or salary of any such judges
may have been increased or decreased by the
General Assembly from time to time, if otherwise
qualified, is ineligible for appointment or election
as a judge of the Distnct Court by reason of his
membership in the General Assembly
Part VI 1—Sheriffs
SEC. 44.^ There shall be elected in each coun-
ty and in Baltimore City one person, resident in
said county or City, above the age of twenty-five
years and for at least five years preceding his elec-
tion a citizen of the State, to the office of Shenff
He shall hold office for four years, until his succes-
sor is duly elected and qualified, give such bond,
exercise such powers and perform such duties as
now are or may hereafter be fixed by law
In case of vacancy by death, resignation, refus-
al to serve, or neglect to qualify or give bond, or
by disqualification or removal from the County
or City, the Governor shall appoint a person to
be Shenff for the remainder of the official term
The Shenff in each county and in Baltimore
City shall receive such salary or compensation
and such expenses necessary to the conduct of his
office as may be fixed by law All fees collected
by the Shenff shall be accounted for and paid to
the Treasury of the several counties and of
Baltimore City, respectively
"' This and sec 45 amended by Chapter 681, Acts of 1977,
ratified November 7,1978

Constitution of Maryland/825
SEC. 45. Notanes Public may be appointed for
each county and the city of Baltimore, in the man-
ner, for the purpose, and with the powers now fixed,
or which may hereafter be presenbed by Law
ARTICLE V.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND STATE'S AT-
TORNEYS.
Attorney-General.
SEC. 1.'" There shall be an Attorney-General
elected by the qualified voters of the State, on gen-
eral ticket, on the Tuesday next after the first Mon-
day in the month of November, nineteen hundred
and fifty-eight, and on the same day, in every
fourth year thereafter, who shall hold his office for
four years from the time of his election and qualifi-
cation, and until his successor is elected and quali-
fied, and shall be re-eligible thereto, and shall be
subject to removal for incompetency, willful ne-
glect of duty or misdemeanor in office, on convic-
tion in a Court of Law
SEC. 2. All elections for Attorney-General
shall be certified to, and returns made thereof by
the Clerks of the Circuit Courts for the several
counties, and the Clerk of the Superior Court of
Baltimore City, to the Governor of the State,
whose duty it shall be to decide on the election
and qualification of the person returned, and in
case of a tie between two or more persons, to
designate which of said persons shall qualify as
Attorney-General, and to administer the oath of
office to the person elected
SEC. 3."« (a) The Attorney General shall
(1) Prosecute and defend on the part of the
State all cases pending in the Appellate Courts
of the State, in the Supreme Court of the Unit-
ed States or the infenor Federal Courts, by or
against the State, or in which the State may be
interested, except those enminal appeals other-
wise presenbed by the General Assembly
(2) Investigate, commence, and prosecute or
defend any civil or enminal suit or action or
category of such suits or actions in any of the
Federal Courts or in any Court of this State, or
before administrative agencies and quasi legisla-
tive bodies, on the part of the State or in which
the State may be interested, which the General
Assembly by law or joint resolution, or the
'" Thus amended by Chapter 99, Acts of 1956 ratified Novem-
ber 6,1956
'" Thus amended by Chapter 545, Acts of 1976, ratified No-
vember 2,1976