LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1791.

277

CHAPTER 68.

AN ACT for the speedy recovery of Small Debts out of court, and to
repeal the acts of assembly therein mentioned.
Supplements and other acts are 1801, ch. 42, 62; 1806, ch. 21 ; 1809,
ch. 76, 153, sec. 5; 1811, ch. 174; 1813, ch. 162 j 1814, ch. 82; 1818, ch.
166, 177; 1820, ch; 80, 164, 185, 186; J821, ch. 162; 1822, ch. 143;
1823, ch. 25, 172; 1824, ch. 138, 140; 1825, ch. 21, 51, 68, 158, 198,223;
1827, ch. 85 ; 1829, ch. 236; 1831, ch. 271, 274, 290, 306, 317; 1833, ch.
119, 189; 1834, ch. 126, 190, 257, 289, 296; 1835, ch. 224; 1837, ch. 217.
It is impracticable to distribute to the appropriate sections, with satisfac-
tory precision, the variety of rules which relate to this branch of jurispru-
dence; they will be referred to in the Index, under the word 'Small Debts.'
See 1821, ch. 249, as to the justices in and for the city of Baltimore.

Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That
from and after the first day of March next, in all cases where
the real debt and damages doth not exceed ten pounds current
money, or one thousand pounds of tobacco, it shall and may
be lawful for any one justice of the peace of each respective
county wherein the debtor doth reside, to try, hear and deter-
mine the matter in controversy between the creditor and debtor,
and upon full hearing of the allegations and evidences of both
parties, to give judgment according to the laws of the land, and
the equity and right of the matter, and, if need be, charge the
constable with the body of the debtor in execution, who is
hereby obliged and empowered to carry the person so committed
to the sheriff of the county, together with a certificate or mitti-
mus from such justice, wherein shall be certified the debt and
cost whereof such person shall be convict, by him to be safely
kept until satisfaction or other end thereof; or otherwise, that
such justice, or any other justice of the peace for the same
county, shall, within one year from the time of the rendition of
said judgment, award execution thereon, (directed to the sheriff
of the county whore the defendant resides,) by warrant or mit-
timus, in the nature of capias ad satisfaciendum, fieri facias or
otherwise; and that in case, upon the return of any warrant, on
any complaint issued by any such justice, it shall appear that
the person against whom the same shall issue is not to be
found, it shall and may be lawful for the creditor to proceed in
the several and respective county courts, for obtaining an at-

One justice
may deter-
mine, &c.

tachment, according to the directions of the act* for issuing out
attachments in this province, and limiting the extent of them,
against the goods, chattels and credits, of such person, for any
sum exceeding ten shillings or fifty pounds of tobacco, any act
or acts to the contrary notwithstanding.
1809, ch. 153, judgment to be entered, to carry interest from the day on
which judgment was rendered.
The act of 1809, ch. 76, sec. 6, enlarged their jurisdiction to $50.
1813, ch. 162, extended it over trespasses for cutting, destroying, or
carrying away wood or timber, whore the damages do not exceed $50,

*1715, ch.
40.