in the Orphans' Courts of the State, subject to such
changes as the Legislature ma', prescribe Fach of the
Judges shall be paid such compensation as may be regu
lated by Law, to be paid by the Cif) or Counties, respec
cm ely In case of a \ acanc\ in the office of Judge of the
Orphans' Court, the Governor shall appoint, subject to
confirmation or rejection by the Semte, some suitable
person to nil the vacancy for the residue of the term

SEC. 41.¹⁴⁷ There shall be a Register of Wills in each
county of the State, and the City of Baltimore, to be
elected by the legal and qualified voters of said counties
and city, respectively, who shall hold his office for four
years from the time of his election and until his successor
is elected and qualified, he shall be re eligible, and subject
at all times to removal for willful neglect of duty, or
misdemeanor in office in the same manner that the Clerks
of the Courts are removable In the event of any vacancy
in the office of the Register of Wills, said vacancy shall be
filled by the Judges of the Orphans' Court, in which such
vacancy occurs, until the next general election for Dele
gates to the General Assembly when a Register shall be
elected to sen e tor four years thereafter

Part VI—District Court

SEC. 41A.¹⁴⁸ The District Court shall have the ongi
nal jurisdiction prescribed by law Jurisdiction of the Dis
tnct Court shall be uniform throughout the State, except
that in Montgomery County and other counties and the
City of Baltimore, the Court ma\ have such jurisdiction
over juvenile causes as is provided bv law

14-Q

SEC. 41B. The District Court shall consist of the
number of judges prescribed by law The State shall be
divided by law into districts Each district shall consist of
one county or two or more entire and adjoining counties
The number of judges shall be allocated among the districts
by law, and there shall be at least one District Court Judge
resident in each district In an\ district containing more
than one county, there shall be at least one District Court
judge resident in each county in the district Functional
divisions of the District Court may be established in any
district

SEC. 41 C.¹⁵⁰ hach District Court judge shall devote
full time to his judicial duties, shall ha\e the qualifications
prescribed bv Section 2 of this Article, and shall be a resident
of the district in v> hich he holds office The number of
judges for any district nw be increased or decreased by the
General Assembly from time to time, subject to the require
ments of Section 41B of this Aiticic, and any vacancy so
created shall be filled as provided in Section 41 D ofrhi';
Article

SEC. 41D.¹⁵¹ The Governor, bv and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, shall appoint each judge of the
District Court whenever tor any reason a \acanc) shall
exist m the office All hearings, deliberations, and debate
on the confirmation of appointees of the Governoi shall
be public, and no hearings, deliberations or debate

thereon shall be conducted by the Senate or any commit
tee or subcommittee thereof in secret or executiv e session
Confirmation by the Senate shall be made upon a majority
vote of all members of the Senate A Judge appointed by
the Governor may take office upon qualification and
before confirmation by the Senate, but shall cease to hold
office at the dose of the regular annual session of the
General Assembly next following his appointment or dur
ing which he shall have been appointed by the Governor,
if the Senate shall not have confirmed his appointment
before then Each judge appointed by the Governor and
confirmed by the Senate shall hold the office tor a term of
ten years or until he shall have attained the age of seventy
years whichever may first occur If the ten year term of a
judge shall expire before that judge shall have attained the
age of seventy years, that )udge shall be reappomtcd by the
Governor, with the Senate's consent, for another ten year
term or until he shall have attained the age of seventy years,
whichever may first occur To the extent inconsistent
herewith, the provisions of Section 3 and 5 of this Article
shall not apply to judges of the District Court

SEC. 41E. The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals
shall designate one judge of the District Court as Chief
Judge of that Court, to serve as Chief Judge at his pleasure
The Chief Judge of the District Court may assign admin
istrative duties to other judges of the District Court and
shall perform such other duties in the administration of
the District Court as may be prescribed by rule or by law

SEC. 41F. The Chief Judge of the District Court shall
appoint, to serve at Jus pleasure, a Chief Clerk of that Court
He shall also appoint, to serve at his pleasure, and upon the
recommendation of the administrative judge of the district,
a chief administrative clerk tor each district The chief clerk
shall perform such duties in the administration of the District
Court as may be assigned him by the chief judge or as may
be prescnbed by rule or by law Each chief administrauve
clerk shall perform such duties in the administration of the
District Court as may be assigned him by the administrative
judge of his district or as may be prescribed by rule of law
There shall be in each County a clerk of the District Court
whose appointment, term, and compensation shall be pre
scnbed bylaw The Chief Judge of the District Court, upon
recommendation of the respecuve administrauve judges,
shall appoint such deputy clerks, constables, and other offi
cers of the District Court as may be necessary It shall be the
duty of the General Assembly to prescribe by law a fixed
compensation for all such officers

SEC 41 G There shall be district court commissioners
in the number and with the qualifications and compensa
tion prescribed by law Commissioners in a district shall be
appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Admmistra
tive Judge of the district, subject to the approv al of the
Chief Judge of the District Court Commissioners may
exercise power only with respect to warrants of arrest, or
bail or collateral or other terms of pre trial release pending
hearing, or incarceration pending hearing, and then only
as prescribed by law or by rule