THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 1275

the Central Police Station who shall take jurisdiction of
the case and dispose of such case promptly.

(c) All females and children under sixteen years of age
arrested upon any criminal charge, whether under the laws
of Maryland or of the City of Baltimore, shall be taken be-
fore the Justice of the Peace sitting in a station-house des-
ignated by the Police Commissioner of Baltimore City as
the "Women's and Children's Court" who shall take juris-
diction of the case and dispose of such case promptly; pro-
vided, however, that in cases where a female or a child
under sixteen years of age is jointly charged with a male
over sixteen years of age, the preliminary hearing or trial,
as the case may be, shall be held before the Justice of the
Peace having jurisdiction over the case against the male
over sixteen years of age. The Police Commissioner may,
in his discretion, designate one or more station-houses as a
Women's and Children's Court".

(D) ALL CHILDREN UNDER SIXTEEN YEARS OF
AGE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AS DELINQUENT
CHILDREN AND NOT RELEASED UNDER THE PRO-
VISIONS OF SECTION 246 OF THE CHARTER AND
PUBLIC LOCAL LAWS OF BALTIMORE CITY (1949
EDITION), SHALL BE TAKEN TO A STATION-
HOUSE DESIGNATED BY THE POLICE COMMIS-
SIONER OF BALTIMORE CITY AS THE "WOMEN'S
COURT" AND THERE BE DETAINED IN A ROOM
OR QUARTERS SEPARATE FROM ADULT OFFEN-
DERS PENDING THE DELIVERY OF SUCH CHIL-
DREN TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF BALTIMORE
CITY, DIVISION FOR JUVENILE CAUSES, FOR
HEARING.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That Section 565 of
the Charter and Public Local Laws of Baltimore City (1949
Ed. ), title "Miscellaneous Local Laws", sub-title "Police
Commissioner", heading "Miscellaneous", be and it is
hereby repealed.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That this Act is
hereby declared to be an emergency measure and necessary
for the immediate preservation of the public health and
safety, and having been passed by a yea and nay vote, sup-
ported by three-fifths of all of the members elected to, each
of the two Houses of the General Assembly of Maryland,
the same shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved April 20, 1951.