CITY COURT.

1457

AN ACT for the speedy Trial of Misdemeanors in the City of Baltimore.

1835, ch. 75.

WHEREAS, it has been represented to this general assembly,

Preamble.

that owing to the great increase of business in Baltimore city

court, the judges thereof have found it expedient to hold weekly

sessions during the intervals of their regular terms, for hearing

cases that do not require the intervention of a grand jury, and

that it would be a saving of much expense to the city, as well

as afford relief to persons charged with the commission of small

offences, and also to witnesses who are mostly of the poorer

class of the community, if said persons so charged had the

option of having their cases also promptly decided without the

delay and expense attendant upon the present mode of prepar-

ing them for trial ; therefore,

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland,

Authority

That Baltimore city court, or either of the judges thereof, shall

to decide
causes for

have power and authority, without any previous presentment by

small

the grand jury, to hear and determine at the said weekly session

offences
without

of said court, all complaints for assault and battery, for keeping

present-
ment

disorderly houses, for keeping houses of ill-fame, for violations

of the act, entitled, an act to regulate the issuing of licenses

to traders and keepers of ordinaries, passed at the session of

eighteen hundred and twenty-seven, chapter one hundred and

seventeen, and the supplements thereto, and for any other small

offence, for which no greater punishment than fine and impri-

sonment can be imposed, in the same manner and to the same

extent and effect, as the said court now do cases submitted to

them during the regular terms, after presentment by the grand

jury-

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty of the

Recogni-

several justices of the peace within the said city, to make all

zance mado
returnable,

recognizances taken by them respectively from any person or

&c.

persons charged with any of said offences, and also of the wit-

nesses, conditioned for their appearance at the then next suc-

ceeding day fixed by the said court for its weekly session, and

return the same without delay to the clerk of said court, to be

docketed and proceeded on under the direction of the court, and

shall also make their commitments of persons to jail, for trial

at the same time.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty of the

Warden to

warden of the jail, to return to the clerk of said court, on the

report

day preceding its weekly session, a list of all persons confined

weekly.

for offences of the aforegoing description, with copies of their

commitments, and list of any witnesses they may require to be

summoned in their defence.

183