PHILLIPS LEE GOLDSBOROUGH, GOVERNOR. 807

SEC. 2. The several Justices of the Peace of the State of
Maryland (except in the City of Baltimore, and in Talbot, Har-
ford, Montgomery and Frederick Counties), are hereby invested
with, and shall have hereafter jurisdiction to hear, try and de-
termine all cases involving the charge of any offense, crime or
misdemeanor, not punishable by confinement in the Penitent-
iary or involving a felonious intent, which may be committed
within their respective Counties; and shall have jurisdiction to
hear, try and determine all prosecutions or proceedings for the
recovery of any penalty for doing or omitting to do any act
within their respective Counties, the doing of which or the
omission to do which, is made punishable under the laws of
this State 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 criminal offenses;
and the said Justice shall have power to issue all process, and
to do all acts which may be necessary for the exercise of their
said jurisdiction, and may pronounce judgment and sentence
in all such cases coming before them, in the same manner, and
to the same extent as the Circuit Courts for said Counties could,
if such cases had been tried before said Courts; provided, how-
ever, that the accused, when brought before any such Justice,
on being informed by him of his right to trial by jury, freely
elects to be tried before such Justice, and provided, further,
that a jury trial be not prayed in such case on the part of the
State by the State's Attorney. If after a trial before the Jus-
tice either party shall feel aggrieved by his judgment there
shall be a right of appeal within ten days to the Circuit Court
for the County in which the alleged offense is charged to have
been committed, and in all cases where a jury trial is prayed
by the State, or the accused elects to be tried by jury, or ap-
peals from the judgment of the Justice, the Justice shall take
from the accused his recognizance with sufficient surety condi-
tioned for his personal appearance to answer said charge at
the then session (if there be a session) of the Circuit Court
of their respective Counties, or the next session of said Court,
if it be not then in session; and in default of the accused enter-
ing into such recognizance the Justice shall commit him to
jail for his appearance at such Court to answer such charge,
and shall at once return the recognizance, if there be one, and
all papers and proceedings in such case, including a copy of
his judgment (in appeal cases) together with the name and
residence of the witnesses for the prosecution to the Clerk of
said Court, who shall place such case on the appeal docket of