CONSTITUTION — ART. IV.

city of Annapolis, on the first Monday in April, and the first Monday in Oc-
tober, of each and every year, or at such other times H3 the General Assembly

515

may, by law, direct Its sessions shall continue not less than ten months in the
year, if the business before it shall so require; and it shall be competent for the
judges, temporarily, to transfer their sittings elsewhere, upon sufficient cause.

Sessions not less
than ten
months

SEC 15 Pour of said judges shall constitute a quorum; no cause shall be de-
cided without the concurrence of at least three; but the judge who heard the
cause below, shall not participate in the decision; in every case an opinion, in
writing, shall be filed within three months after the argument, or submission of
the cause; and the judgment of the court shall be final and conclusive; and all
cases shall stand for hearing at the first term after the transmission of the

Four a quorum

Judge below not
tout
Opinions in
three months

Hearing at first
term
20 Md. 58

record.
SEC 16. Provision shall be made by law for publishing reports of all causes,
argued and determined in the Court of Appeals, which the judges shall desig-
nate as proper for publication
SEC 17 There shall be a clerk of the Court of Appeals, who shall bo elected
by the legal and qualified voters of the Slate, who shall hold his office for six

Publishing
reports
1852, c 55, 351,
1854, res 5,
1867, c 410

Clerk to be
elected.

years, and until his successor is duly qualified; he shall be subject to removal
by the said court for incompetency, neglect of duty, misdemeanor in office, or

Removal.

such other cause, or onuses, as may be prescribed by law; and in case of a va-
cancy in the office of said clerk, the Court of Appeals shall appoint a clerk of
said court, who shall hold his office until the election and qualification of his
successor, who shall be elected at the next general election for members of the
General Assembly; and the person, so elected, shall hold his office for the term
of six yours from the time of election.

Vacancy.

SEC 18. It shall be the duty of the judges of the Court of Appeals, as soon
after their election, under this Constitution, as practicable, to make and pub-
lish rules and regulations for the prosecution of appeals to said appellate court,
whereby they shall prescribe the periods within which appeals may be taken,
what part or parts of the proceedings in the court below shall constitute the
record on appeal, and the manner in which such appeals shall be brought to

Rules for
appeals
29 Md 1, 36 Md
62, 243, 38 Md
19, 39 Md 176;
42 Md 378
The record.

hearing or determination, and shall regulate, generally, the practice of said
Court of Appeals, so as to prevent delays, and promote brevity in all records
and proceedings brought into said court, and to abolish and avoid all unneces-

Practice.

sary costs and expenses in the prosecution of appeals therein; and the said
judges shall make such reductions in the fees and expenses of the said court, as
they may deem advisable It shall also be the duty of said judges of the Court of

Coats
Reduction of
fees

Appeals, as soon after their election as practicable, to devise and promulgate,
by rules, or orders, forms and modes of framing and filing bills, answers, and
other proceedings and pleadings in equity; and also forms and modes of taking
and obtaining evidence, to be used in equity cases; and to revise and regulate,
generally, the practice in the courts of equity of this State, so as to prevent de-
lays, and to promote brevity and conciseness in all pleadings and proceedings
therein, and to abolish all unnecessary costs and expenses attending the same.
And all rules and regulations hereby directed to be made, shall, when made,
have the force of law, until rescinded, changed, or modified by the said judges,
or the General Assembly.

Rules in equity

PART III. — CIRCUIT COURTS.

SEC. 19. The State shall be divided into eight judicial circuits, in manner
following, viz: The counties of Worcester, Somerset, and Dorchester, shall
constitute the first circuit; the counties of Caroline, Talbot, Queen Anne's,
Kent, and Cecil, the second, the counties of Baltimore and Harford, the
third; the counties of Allegheny and Washington, the fourth; the counties of
Carroll, Howard, and Anne Arundel, the fifth; the counties of Montgomery

Eight judicial
circuits.