Article IV

SEC. 21A."⁶ If the amendments to sections 3 and
21 of Article IV proposed by House Bill 972, Senate
Bill 390 (1976) and the amendments to those sections
proposed by House Bill 1048 (1976) are ratified by the
voters at the election in November 1976, the amend-
ments to those sections proposed in House Bill 972,
Senate Bill 390 (1976) shall take effect.

SEC. 22.¹¹⁷ Where any Term is held, or trial con-
ducted by less than the whole number of said Circuit
Judges, upon the decision or determination of any
point, or question, by the Court, it shall be competent
to the party, against whom the ruling or decision is
made, upon motion, to have the point, or question re-
served for the consideration of the three Judges of the
Circuit, who shall constitute a court in bane for such
purpose; and the motion for such reservation shall be
entered of record, during the sitting, at which such deci-
sion may be made; and the several Circuit Courts shall
regulate, by rules, the mode and manner of presenting
such points, or questions to the court in bane, and the
decision of the said Court in bane shall be the effective
decision in the premises, and conclusive, as against the
party, at whose motion said points, or questions were
reserved; but such decision in bane shall not preclude
the right of Appeal, or writ of error to the adverse par-
ty, in those cases, civil or criminal, in which appeal, or
writ of error to the Court of Appeals may be allowed
by Law. The right of having questions reserved shall
not, however, apply to trials of Appeals fruin judg-
ments of the District Court, nor to criminal cases below
the grade of felony, except when the punishment is con-
finement in the Penitentiary; and this Section shall be
subject to such provisions as may hereafter be made by
Law.

SEC. 23. "⁸ The Judges of the respective Circuit
Courts of this State shall render their decisions, in all
cases argued before them, or submitted for their judg-
ment, within two months after the same shall have been
so argued or submitted.

SEC. 24. "⁹ The salary of each Chief Judge and of
each Associate Judge of the Circuit Court shall not be
diminished during his continuance in office.

SEC. 25.¹²⁰ There shall be a Clerk of the Circuit
Court for each County and Baltimore City, who shall
be elected by a plurality of the qualified voters of said
County or City, and shall hold this office for four years
from the time of his election, and until his successor is
elected and qualified, and be re-eligible, subject to be
removed for willful neglect of duty or other misdea-
meanor in office, on conviction in a Court of Law. In

"^t Added by Chapter 542, Acts of 1976, ratified November 2,
1976.
¹¹⁷ Thus amended by Chapter 681, Acts of 1977, ratified No-
vember 7, 1978.
'" Thus amended by Chapter 523, Acts of 1980, ratified No-
vember 4, 1980.
"'' Thus amended by Chapter 99, Acts of 1956, ratified Novem-
ber 6, 1956.
¹²⁰ Thus amended by Chapter 99, Acts of 1956, ratified
November 6, 1956, and repealed by Chapter 523, Acts of 1980,
ratified November 4, 1980.

Constitution of'Maryland/'685

case of a vacancy in the office of Clerk of a Circuit
Court, the Judges of that Court may fill the vacancy
until the general election for Delegates to the General
Assembly, to be held next thereafter, when a successor
shall be elected for the terms of four years.

SEC. 26.¹²¹ The Clerks shall appoint, subject to the
confirmation of the Judges of their respective Courts, as
many deputies under them, as the Judges deem neces-
sary, to perform, together with themselves, the duties of
the office, who shall be removable by the Judges for in-
competency, or neglect of duty, and whose compensa-
tion shall be determined by law. In Washington Coun-
ty, all deputy clerks and other employees of the office
of the clerk shall be appointed and be removable ac-
cording to the merit system procedure established by
law for these deputies and employees. All deputy clerks
and other employees of the office of the Clerk of the
Circuit Court for Baltimore City, excepting the Clerks,
shall be selected and be removable according to a pro-
cedure established by law for those deputies and em-
ployees.

Part IV—Courts of Baltimore City.
SEC.27.¹²² Vacant.
SEC. 28.¹²³ Vacant.
SEC. 29.¹²⁴ Vacant.
SEC. 30.¹²⁵ Vacant.
SEC.31.¹²⁶ Vacant.
SEC. 31A.¹²⁷ Vacant.
SEC.32.¹²⁸ Vacant.
SEC.33.¹²⁹ Vacant.