912 ARTICLE 4.

Solicitors shall have charge, subject to the direction and control of the
City Solicitor, of the examination of all titles on behalf of the city, and
in doing such work he shall be aided by such person as the City Solicitor
shall employ for the purpose out of the funds appropriated by the annual
ordinance of estimates to his department for general expenses, or out
of the proceeds of loans or other sums appropriated by the Mayor and City
Council of Baltimore to defray the cost of public improvements or work
involving the examination of titles on behalf of the city.

In relation to the powers and duties of the City Solicitor and his authority in
representing the city in suits prior to the enactment of the new City Charter? see,

Balto, v. Ritchie, 51 Md. 233. Ireton v. Baltimore, 61 Md. 432. Dugan v. Mayor,
70 Md. 7, 8. M. & C. C. of Balto, v. Turnpike Co., 80 Md. 546.

City Solicitor not a ministerial officer.

Gross v. M. & C. C., 111 Md. 543.

1898, ch. 123.

63. The City Solicitor shall give advice and opinions in writing upon
any legal questions affecting the interest of the city, which may be sub-
mitted to him in writing by the Mayor or the City Council, or any Com-
mittee thereof, or the head of any department, or a special commission
or board. All deeds, bonds, contracts and other legal instruments involv-
ing the interest of the city or to be executed by or passed to the Mayor
or other officer of the city shall, before they are executed or accepted, be
submitted to the City Solicitor and have endorsed upon them his opinion
as to their sufficiency and their compliance in terms and conditions with
the laws or ordinances under which they are executed. It shall be the
duty of all officers and departments of the city to submit all such bonds,
contracts or other written instruments to the City Solicitor for his approval
before executing or accepting the same.

1898, ch. 123.

64. The Law Department shall have its offices and headquarters in
such rooms in the City Hall, or elsewhere, as the Mayor may designate,
to be provided and furnished at the expense of the city, and which shall
be open on all business days between the hours of 9 A. M. and 3 P. M.
All papers and documents relating to the legal business of the city shall
be permanently filed in said office.

1898, ch. 123. 1904, ch. 112. 1906, ch. 206.

65. The City Solicitor is authorized to employ, in addition to the
assistants to one of the Assistant City Solicitors mentioned in Section 62
of this Charter, at a total cost not exceeding the aggregate amount there-
for affixed by the annual ordinance of estimates, a clerk, stenographer and
typewriter, and such other assistants of every kind as he may require,
who shall at all times be subject to his orders. The said clerk shall, sub-
ject to the direction of the City Solicitor, have charge and custody of the
office and papers of the Law Department, which shall be arranged and
indexed by him in such convenient and orderly manner as to be at all
times readily accessible. He shall also keep in said office a complete