110 MARYLAND MANUAL.

justices of the peace; all said courts shall be courts of record,
and each shall have a seal to be used in the authentication of all
process issuing therefrom. The process and official character of
justices of the peace shall be authenticated as hath heretofore
been practiced in this State, or may hereafter be prescribed by
law.

QUALIFICATIONS OF JUDGES.

SEC. 2. The judges of all of the said courts shall be citizens
of the State of Maryland, and qualified voters under this Con-
stitution, and shall have resided therein not less than five years,
and not less than six months next preceding their election or
appointment, in the judicial circuit, as the case may be, for
which they may be, respectively, elected or appointed. They shall
not be less than thirty years of age at the time of their election
or appointment, and shall be selected from those who have been
admitted to practice law in this State, and who are most dis-
tinguished for integrity, wisdom and sound legal knowledge.

ELECTION OF JUDGES. —TERM OF OFFICE.

SEC. 3. The judges of the said several courts shall be elected
in the counties by the qualified voters in their respective judicial
circuits, as hereinafter provided, at the general election to be
held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November next,
and in the city of Baltimore, on the fourth Wednesday of
October next. Each of the said judges shall hold his office
for the term of fifteen years from the time of his election,
and until his successor is elected and qualified, or until he shall
have attained the age of seventy years, whichever may first
happen, and be re-eligible thereto until he shall have attained
the age of seventy years, and not after; but in case of any Judge
who shall attain the age of seventy years whilst in office, such
Judge may be continued in office by the General Assembly for
such further time as they may think fit, not to exceed the term
for which he was elected, by a Resolution to be passed at the ses-
sion next preceding his attaining said age. In case of the inability
of any of said Judges to discharge his duties with efficiency, by
reason of continued sickness, or of physical or mental infirmity,
it shall be in the power of the General Assembly, two-thirds of
the members of each House concurring, with the approval of the
Governor, to retire said Judge from office.

REMOVAL OF JUDGES.

SEC. 4. Any Judge shall be removed from office by the Gov-
ernor, on conviction, in a Court of Law, of incompetency, of
willful neglect of duty, misbehavior in office, or any other crime,
or on impeachment according to this Constitution, or the Laws of