[Art. 4, Sec. 2] MARYLAND MANUAL 327

inafter provided for, and Justices of the Peace; all said
Courts shall be Courts of Record, and each shall have a
seal to be used in the authentication of all process issuing
therefrom. The process and official character of Justices
of the Peace shall be authenticated as hath heretofore been
practiced in this State, or may hereafter be prescribed by
Law.

SEC. 2. The Judges of all of the said Courts shall be
citizens of the State of Maryland, and qualified voters un-
der this Constitution, and shall have resided therein not
less than five years, and not less than six months next pre-
ceding their election, or appointment, in the Judicial Circuit,
as the case may be, for which they may be, respectively,
elected, or appointed. They shall be not less than thirty
years of age at the time of their election, or appointment,
and shall be selected from those who have been admitted
to practice Law in this State, and who are most disting-
uished for integrity, wisdom and sound legal knowledge.

SEC. 3. The Judges of the said several Courts shall be
elected in the Counties by the qualified voters in their re-
spective Judicial Circuits as hereinafter provided, and in
the City of Baltimore, at the general election to be held on
the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, as now
provided for in the Constitution. Each of the said Judges
shall hold his office for the term of fifteen years from the
time of his election, and until his successor is elected and
qualified, or until he shall have attained the age of seventy
years, whichever may first happen, and be re-eligible there-
to until he shall have attained the age of seventy years, and
not after. Provided, however, that any judge whose term
has been extended beyond the age of seventy years by the
General Assembly prior to April 7, 1931, shall be permitted
to continue in office in accordance with the resolution of
the General Assembly in each case. In case of the inability
of any of said Judges to discharge his duties with efficiency,
by reason of continued sickness, or of physical or mental
infirmity, it shall be in the power of the General Assembly,
two thirds of the members of each House concurring, with
the approval of the Governor, to retire said Judge from
office.¹

SEC. 4. Any Judge shall be removed from office by the
Governor, on conviction in a Court of Law, of incompetency,
of wilful neglect of duty, misbehavior in office, or any other
crime, or on impeachment, according to this Constitution,

'Thus amended by Chapter 479, Acts of 1931, ratified November 8, 1932.