670

LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1817.

by the frequent neglect of such officers to serve and return
such process; and it appears to be necessary, for the speedy
and due administration of justice, that an effective remedy
should be provided in that behalf, therefore,

Process

issuing
from one
county to
be served
in another,
how to be
conveyed.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That from and after the passage of this act, the clerk or register
of any court within this state, who shall be required to issue
any original or judicial writ, subpoena, summons, or other pro-
cess, to be^ served in any other county than that in which such
court shall usually hold its session, shall issue such process
accordingly, directed to the sheriff, coroner, or other proper officer
of such other county to whom the same ought to be directed,
and shall immediately enclose such process in a letter or cover,
sealed up and addressed to the clerk of such other county, and
on the back thereof shall endorse his name as clerk of the
county, and shall forthwith deposite the same in the nearest
post-office, to be conveyed by the ensuing mail to the post-office
at the place in which, or nearest to which, the clerk of such
other county shall reside ; and in such letter or cover shall be
written the usual docket entry of such process, so as to show
the parties concerned, and the nature and purpose thereof.

Clerks to
send to
post-offices
once a
week.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty of the
several clerks of the respective counties of this state, to attend
at or send to the post-offices nearest to their residence, at least
once a week, and inquire for letters and covers addressed to
them; and if such letters or covers shall contain any writ or
process directed to the sheriff, coroner, or other officer, of their
respective counties, they shall immediately endorse the time
when they received the same, and with all convenient speed
deliver the same to the sheriff, or other officer, to whom the
same may be directed; and shall also endorse thereon the time
when the same shall be so delivered to such officer.

On receipt
of process,
to transmit
certificate
thereof,
&c.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted. That it shall be the duty of every
such clerk who shall receive and deliver any writ or process, in
manner and form aforesaid, to transmit by the mail, and in due
time before the session of the court to which such process shall
be returnable, a certificate, under his hand and seal of office,
setting forth the receipt of such process, (which he shall de-
scribe in the manner in which it is written in the letter or cover
which contained the same) the time when he received the same,
the delivery thereof to the officer to whom it was directed, and
the time of such delivery ; which certificate he shall seal up
and address to the clerk or register of the court to which the
process is made returnable, and deposite in the nearest post-
office, to be conveyed to such clerk accordingly, endorsing his
name thereon as herein before directed ; and such certificate, in
all proceedings relating to the sheriff, or other officer, to whom