66 ALLEGANY COUNTY. [ART. 1.
1884, ch 510.
182. The several justices of the peace of Allegany, Montgom-
ery, Prince George's, Harford, Calvert, Anne Arundel, Wicomico,
Caroline, Talbot, St. Mary's, Garrett, Howard, Somerset, Wash-
ington, Dorchester, Kent, and Charles counties shall have, in ad-
dition to the jurisdiction which they now possess, and which may
be conferred upon them by or under the laws of this State, juris-
diction concurrent with that exercised by the circuit courts for
said counties in all cases of assault without any felonious intent;
and in all cases of assault and battery, and in all cases of petit
larceny, when the value of the property stolen does not exceed the
sum of tive dollars, and in all misdemeanors not punishable by
confinement in the penitentiary, which may be committed within
their respective jurisdictions; and shall have jurisdiction in all
prosecutions or proceedings for the recovery of any penalty for
doing or omitting to do any act, the doing of which, or the omis-
sion to do which, is made punishable under the laws of this State,
within their said jurisdiction by any pecuniary fine or penalty or
by imprisonment in jail or in the Maryland House of Correction;
all of which acts or omissions are hereby declared to be crimi-
nal offences; and the said justices shall have power to issue all
process and to do all acts which may be necessary to the exercise
of their said jurisdiction, and may try and determine all cases
whereof they may have jurisdiction, and may pronounce judgment
and sentence therein in the same manner and to the same extent
as the circuit court for said counties could in such cases, if such
cases were tried before them without the intervention of a jury;
provided, however, that if any person, when brought before any
such justice having jurisdiction of the case, shall before trial for
the alleged offence pray a jury trial, or if the State's attorney for
said county shall, before the trial of such alleged offence, pray a
jury trial on the part of the State, it shall be the duty of any such
justice to commit such alleged offender for trial in the circuit
court for the county in which the offence was committed at its
then session, if it be then in session, or at its next session, if it be
not then in session, and to return said commitment or recogni-
zance, with the names and residence of the witnesses for the prose-
cution endorsed thereon, forthwith to the clerk of the said court;
and the justice before whom the case is tried shall inform the
person charged of his right to a jury trial
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