of, incorporated city or town in this State, except Balti-
more City, and to prescribe and from time to time to alter
(1) the number, qualifications, tenure, and method of se-
lection of the Judges of any such Court, and their powers,
duties and compensation, except that the term of office or
compensation of any Judge shall not be reduced during his
continuance in office; (2) the jurisdiction of any such
Court (which may be made exclusive as to any class or
classes of civil cases in such county, or any part thereof,
city or town) and the right of appeal therefrom; (3) the
number, qualifications, tenure, method of selection, duties,
and compensation of all constables, clerks or other em-
ployees for such Court; and (4) all other matters relating
to such Court. After adoption of this Section the Gover-
nor shall not be required to appoint any particular number
of Justices of the Peace in any county or in any of the
several election districts of the counties as now provided
in Section 42 of the Constitution.(1)

Part VI—Justices of the Peace.

SEC. 42. The Governor, by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, shall appoint such number of Justices
of the Peace, and the County Commissioners of the several
counties, and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, re-
spectively, shall appoint such number of Constables, for the
several Election Districts of the Counties and Wards of the
City of Baltimore, as are now, or may hereafter be pre-
scribed by Law; and Justices of the Peace and Constables,
so appointed, shall be subject to removal by the Judge, or
Judges having criminal jurisdiction in the county, or city,
for incompetency, willful neglect of duty, or misdemeanor in
office, on conviction in a Court of Law. The Justices of the
Peace and Constables, so appointed, and commissioned, shall
be Conservators of the Peace, shall hold their office for two
years, and shall have such jurisdiction, duties and com-
pensation, subject to such right of appeal, in all cases, from
the judgment of Justices of the Peace, as hath been here-
tofore exercised, or shall be hereafter prescribed by Law.

SEC. 43. In the event of a vacancy in the office of a Jus-
tice of the Peace, the Governor shall appoint a person to
serve, as Justice of the Peace, for the residue of the term;
and in case of a vacancy in the office of Constable, the
County Commissioners of the county in which the vacancy
occurs, or the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, as the

(1) Added by Chapter 163, Acts of 1939, and ratified by the voters on November
5, 1940.