LAWS OF MARYLAND.— 1834.

811

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That the judges of the several
county courts within this state, shall not hold plea in the said
courts of any case within the jurisdiction given to justices of
the peace by this act.

County
courts
prohibited.

SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That if any person against whom
a complaint is made under this act before a justice of the peace,
shall appear on the return day of the warrant, and allege that he
is entitled to the property on which the trespass is charged to
have been committed, or that he acted under a person (named
by him) claiming title to the same, and shall verify an allegation
by oath or affirmation, the justice before whom the complaint
aforesaid may be made, shall take no further cognizance of the
same.

CHAPTER 140.

AN ACT relating to the appointment of Constables in this State, and for
other purposes.
See 1824, ch. 10, ante page 801 ; 1825, ch. 21 ; and 1835, ch. 201.

Plea
allowed.

WHEREAS, the boundaries of hundreds throughout this state,
by vacating old roads, opening new ones, and other causes, are
in a great measure obliterated and forgotten ; therefore,

Preamble.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That from and after the passage of this act, the justices of the
levy courts in the several counties of this state, shall at the time
heretofore fixed for the appointment of constables, appoint for
the several election districts in their respective counties, instead
of hundreds as heretofore, as many constables as they may
deem necessary, who shall, before they proceed to act in that
capacity, give bond to the state in the manner now prescribed
by law.

Constables
of election
districts
instead of
hundreds.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That constables appointed under
this act, shall have full power and authority to serve and exe-
cute civil process, and to do and perform all matters and things
appertaining to the duties of their appointment throughout the
county in which they shall respectively reside, in the same
manner they are now authorized and required to do in their
respective hundreds; and that the responsibility of said con-
stables and the securities on their bonds, shall be co-extensive
with the authority to serve and execute process hereby given to

Powers,
&c.

them ; Provided, that nothing herein contained shall be so con-
strued as to compel any constable to serve or execute civil pro-
cess beyond the limits of the election district for which he shall
be appointed.

Proviso.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any
justice of the peace to put into the hands of any person as con-
stable, any precept, until such person shall produce to him a
copy of his bond, given within the year, approved according to

Justices
forbid to
employ
without see-
ing bonds.