PUBLIC CIVIL LAWS.

ARTICLE L

RULES OF INTERPRETATION.

1. Adoption of code not to impair vested rights, nor discharge con- tracts, nor affect pending suits and prosecutions. 2. Nor to preclude prosecution for offences previously committed. 3. Nor to Impair rights under charter or grant from State. 4. Administrator to Include executor. 5. Decedent to include testator and intestate. H. Masculine to Include all genders.

7. Singular to include plural. 8. Oath to mean also affirmation. 9. Form of Judicial and other oaths. 10. Manner of administering oaths. 11. Boundaries of counties and city of Baltimore. 12. Public local law to prevail in case of conflict with public general law. 13. County to include city of Balti- more. 14. Person to include corporation.

1904, art. 1. sec. 1. 1888, art. 1, sec. 1. 1860, art. 1, sec. 1.

1. The adoption of this code shall not affect or impair any right.
vested or acquired and existing at the time of its adoption, nor shall
it impair, discharge or release any existing contract, obligation, duty or
liability of any kind whatsoever. All pending suits, actions and
prosecutions for crimes or misdemeanors, including all civil and crim-
inal proceedings whatsoever, shall be prosecuted and proceeded with
to final determination, and judgment entered therein as if this code had
not been adopted.

Where process has been issued in a suit brought prior to the adoption of
the code (of 1860), and the process has to be renewed after such adoption,
such renewal should be in the form prescribed by the code, and the necessary
change in the form of the process does not make it a new suit. State v.
Logan, 33 Md. 7.

Where a decree for the sale of real estate in which an Infant has an
interest was passed before the adoption of the code (of 1860) but the sale
was not made until afterwards, the proceeds must be invested in accordance
with the code. Gill v. Wells, 59 Md. 500.

A right vested by an act of assembly prior to the adoption of the code (of
1860), is not impaired by such adoption. State v. Hall, 22 Md. 33fi.
Cited but not construed in Longley v. Jones, 26 Md. 473.

Ibid. sec. 2. 1888, art. 1, sec. 2. I860, art. 1, sec. 2.

2. If any crime, misdemeanor or other violation of law hath been
committed and no prosecution or other proceeding hath boon com-

The Code of 1888 stands in lieu of, and as a substitute for, laws in force at the
time of its adoption. Erb v. Grimes, 94 Md. 104.