350

LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1797.

Oaths to be
taken, &c.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That every sheriff and coroner
hereafter commissioned within this state shall, before he be
allowed to proceed on the execution of his office, besides the
usual oaths or affirmations as required by the constitution and
laws of this state, take the oath, or affirmation, (as the case may
be,) above prescribed, before some judge or justice of the court
of the county for which such person may be commissioned,
and return a certificate of such oath, or affirmation, to the clerk
of the court of the county for which such person may be com-
missioned, there to be recorded as aforesaid.

Who shall
not be sum-
moned.

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That the different sheriffs or coro-
ners of this state, shall not, after the end of this general assem-
bly, summon as a juror in any case, or return upon a panel
as a juror, any person who may not have arrived to the age of
twenty-five years, and who doth not possess the other qualifica-
tions required by the constitution and laws of this state.

No justice
exempt,
&c.

SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That after the end of this session
of assembly, no justice of the peace shall be exempt or privi-
leged from being summoned and returned upon the panel of
jurors to the county court, or general court of this state, any
former law to the contrary notwithstanding.

Deputies
not to sum-
mon.

SEC. 7. And be it enacted, That after the passage of this act,
the sheriffs of the several counties of this state shall not permit
their deputies, or any of them, to summon any juror or jurors
whom they have not directed them to summon.

A panel to
he returned,
&c.

SEC. 8. And be it enacted, That the sheriffs of the several
counties of this state shall return to their respective county
courts a panel of forty-eight jurors, qualified as aforesaid, out
of which the said respective courts shall direct the clerk to
draw, by ballot, twenty-three persons, who shall bo empan-
nelled and sworn to serve as grand jurors during the term to
which they shall be summoned ; and the persons remaining
upon the said original panel shall attend the court, and servo
as petit jurors.

Twenty
persons to
be drawn,

&c.

SEC. 9. And be it enacted, That in all civil cases called for
trial in the general and county courts, in which a jury shall be
necessary, according to the laws and constitution of this state,
twenty persons from the panel of petit jurors shall be drawn,
by ballot, by the clerks, under the direction of the said respec-
tive courts, and the names of the twenty persons shall be writ-
ten upon two lists, and one of the said lists shall be forthwith
delivered to the respective parties, or their counsel in the cause,
and it shall and may be lawful for each of the said parties, or
their counsel, to strike out four persons from the said lists, and
the remaining twelve persons shall thereupon be immediately
empannelled, and sworn as the petit jury in such cause ; and if