514

CONSTITUTION — ART. IV.

Officers of court,
how appointed

SEC 9 The judge, or judges of any court, may appoint such officers for their
respective courts as may be found necessary; and such officers of the courts in
the city of Baltimore shall be appointed by the judges of the Supreme Bench of
Baltimore City. It shall be the duty of the General Assembly to prescribe, by

Compensation.
Judges to
investigate and
report.

law, a fixed compensation for all such officers; and said judge or judges shall,
from time to time, investigate the expenses, costs and charges of their respec-
tive courts, with a view to a change or reduction thereof, and report the result
of such investigation to the General Assembly for its action.

Clerks to keep
records

SEC 10 The clerks of the several courts, created, or continued by this Con-
stitution, shall have charge and custody of the records and other papers, shall

Fees.

perform all the duties, and bo allowed the fees, which appertain to their several
offices, as the same now are, or may hereafter be regulated by law. And the
office and business of said clerks, in nil their departments, shall be subject to

Power of judges.

the visitorial power of the judges of their respective courts, who shall exercise
the same, from time to time, so as to insure the faithful performance of the
duties of said offices; and it shall be the duty of the judges of said courts respec-
tively, to make, from time to time, such rules and regulations as may be neces-

Rules for the
clerks

sary and proper for the government of said clerks, and for the performance of
the duties of their offices, which shall have the force of law until repealed, or
modified by the General Assembly.

1853, c 134
Election
returns
25 Md 173;
39 Md 387, -
43 Md 572.

Sac. 11 The election for judges, hereinbefore provided, and nil elections for
clerks, registers of wills, and other officers, provided in this Constitution, except
State's attorneys, shall be certified, and the returns made, by the clerks of the
Circuit Courts of the counties, and the clerk of the Superior Court of Baltimore
City, respectively, to the governor, who shall issue commissions to the different
persons for the offices to which they shall have been, respectively, elected; and

Plurality vote

in all such elections, the person having the greatest number of votes, shall be
declared to be elected.

Case of tie.
25 Md 173, 39
Md 386

Contested
elections.

SEC 12 If in any case of election for judges, clerks of the courts of law, and
registers of wills, the opposing candidates shall have an equal number of votes,
it shall be the duty of the governor to order a new election; and in case of any
contested election, the governor shall send the returns to the House of Dele-
gates, which shall judge of the election and qualification of the candidates at
such election; and if the judgment shall be against the one who has been re-

New election.

turned elected, or the one who has been commissioned by the governor, the
House of Delegates shall order a new election within thirty days

Style of com-
missions

SEC. 13 All public commissions and grants shall run thus: " The State of
Maryland, etc, " and shall be signed by the governor, with the seal of the

Grants and
writs.

State annexed, all writs and process shall run in the same style, and be tested,
sealed and signed, as heretofore, or as mar hereafter be, provided by law, and
all indictments shall conclude, "against the peace, government and dignity of
the Slate. "

PART II — COURT OF APPEALS.

1852, c 82
Composed of
eight judges
18 Md 202,
30 Md 128, 130

SEC. 14 The Court of Appeals shall be composed of the chief judges of the
first seven of the several judicial circuits of the State, and a judge from the city
of Baltimore specially elected thereto, one of whom shall be designated by the
governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, as the chief judge;

Chief judge,
how designated

and in all cases, until action by the Senate can be had, the judge so designated
by the governor, shall act as chief judge The judge of the Court of Appeals

Judge for Balti-
more city

from the city of Baltimore shall be elected by the qualified voters of said city,
at the election of judges to be held therein, as hereinbefore provided; and in

His duties.

addition to his duties, as judge of the Court of Appeals, shall perform such

Jurisdiction of
court.

other duties as the General Assembly shall prescribe. The jurisdiction of said
Court of Appeals shall be coextensive with the limits of the State, and such as
now is or may hereafter be prescribed by law. It shall hold its sessions in the