1374 JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. [ART. 52

1888, art. 52, sec. 9. 1860, art. 51, sec. 31. 1819, ch. 167, sec. 2. 1892,
ch. 619. 1902, ch. 408.

9. The jurisdiction of justices of the peace of the State of
Maryland shall extend to all cases wherein executors or admin-
istrators are parties, plaintiffs or defendants, except that no
administrator or executor shall be sued before a justice of the
peace within thirteen months from the date of his letters,
unless such executor or administrator shall within six months
of the date of such letters dispute or reject any claim filed
against his descendant's estate.

Ibid. sec. 10. 1860, art. 51, sec. 32. 1819, ch. 167, sec. 2.

10. If any administrator shall allege in writing and verify
the same by oath that he has no assets in his hands, or that he
has reasonable cause to believe the assets will not be sufficient
to pay the debts of the decedent, then the justice of the peace
shall transmit the proceedings in relation thereto to the next
circuit court for the county, or the Baltimore city court, and
such court shall hear and decide the case.

Ibid. sec. 11. 1860, art. 51, sec. 16. 1852, ch. 239, sec. 4.

11. In all cases where the amount claimed or the thing in
action exceeds the sum or value of fifty dollars and justices of
the peace have jurisdiction, the several circuit courts for the
counties shall have concurrent jurisdiction with justices of the
peace.

Harris v. Dorsey, 1 H & J. 416. The Balto. Turnpike Co. v. Barnes, 6 H.
& J. 61. Barger v. Collins, 7 H. & J. 220. Offutt v. Offutt, 2 H. & G. 176.
Schindel v. Suman, 13 Md. 310. Deitrich v. Swartz, 41 Md. 196. Randle v.
Sutton, 43 Md. 64.

Criminal Jurisdiction.

1890, ch. 618. 1892, ch. 485. 1894, ch. 338. 1896, ch 128, sec. 11 A.

12. The several justices of the peace of the State of Mary-
land (except in the city of Baltimore, and in Talbot, Harford,
Montgomery and Frederick counties) shall have, in addition to
the jurisdiction which they now possess and which may be
conferred on them by or under the laws of this State, jurisdic-
tion concurrent with that exercised by the circuit courts for the
several counties of this State in all cases of assault without
any felonious intent; and in all cases of assault and battery
and in all cases of petty larceny* when the value of the property
stolen does not exceed the sum of five dollars and in misde-

* Unconstitutional as to petty larceny. Danner v. State, 89 Md. 220.