566

LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1809.

freedom,* in the manner that they have been heretofore allowed
to affirm, which affirmation shall be of the same avail as an
oath to all intents and purposes whatsoever.
*The words in italic are omitted in the supplement, 1815, ch. 182.

Court to be
satisfied
that such
persons are
conscien-
tiously
scrupulous.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted. That before any of the persons
aforesaid shall be admitted as a juror in any court of justice in
this state, the court shall be satisfied, by such testimony that
they may require, that such person is one of those who profess
to be conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath.

CHAPTER 76.

*1791, eh.

68.

A SUPPLEMENT to the ACT,* entitled, an Act for the recovery of Small
Debts out of Court, and to repeal the acts of Assembly therein men-
tioned.
See notes to the original law, ante page 277.

Jurisdiction
of justices
of the peace
extended.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That from and after the first day of May next, in all cases
where the real debt and damages doth not exceed the sum of
fifty dollars, 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 determine, 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, in the same manner, and under the same rules and
regulations, to all intents and purposes, as such justices of the
peace are now authorized and empowered to do when the debt
and damages do not exceed the sum of ten pounds current
money.
See note to 1791, ch. 68, sec. 1.

Judgments
above ten
pounds may
be super-
seded with-
in sixty
days, for
twelve
months.

Justice
rendering
judgment
to take
supersedeas

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That in all cases where judgments
shall be rendered by a justice of the peace for any sum exceed-
ing ten pounds current money, it shall be lawful for the defen-
dant to supersede the said judgment at any time within sixty
days from the rendition thereof, which supersedeas shall stay
execution for twelve months thereafter.
SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That where any judgment shall
be superseded, the said supersedeas shall be taken by the jus-
tice who rendered the judgment, and no other, provided such
justice is living in the county, and acting in his judicial capacity.

Justices to
keep dock-
ets, &c.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That the justices of the peace in
the respective counties be and they are hereby directed, and it
is hereby made their duty, to keep a docket, and therein to
record and make regular entries of their proceedings in all cases
in which they shall act in virtue of their office, and they are
hereby directed to furnish the plaintiff and defendant respec-
tively with a copy of any judgment by them given, when