THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                   1139

U. The Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
shall appoint to said Court a Chief Judge and two Associate Judges
to take office on the first Monday of May JUNE 1955, for a term
expiring on the first Monday of May 1959. Thereafter said Judges
shall be appointed for terms of four years expiring on the first Mon-
day in May.

5.  (a) The People's Court of Baltimore County shall have exclusive
original jurisdiction at law in all civil cases arising in Baltimore
County, including all cases for the enforcement of contracts, to obtain
redress for wrongs, in actions of replevin and attachments as pro-
vided in Article 9 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, where the
debt or damages claimed or the amount in controversy does not
exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), and cases between landlord
and tenant arising under Article 58 of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land and Title 15 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore
County, and all civil cases arising in Baltimore County over which
Justices of the Peace and Trial Magistrates had jurisdiction prior

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JUNE 6, 1955.

(b)  Baltimore County is hereby divided into three (8) People's
Court Districts, as follows:

Eastern District, comprising that part of Baltimore County lying
to the southeast of the Belair Road;

Central District, comprising that part of Baltimore County bounded
on the east by the Belair Road and on the west by the Liberty Road;
and

Western District, comprising that part of Baltimore County lying
to the southwest of the Liberty Road.

(c)  No person shall be sued in the People's Court of Baltimore
County except in the People's Court District where the defendant
resides; provided, however, in the event of any cause of action
involving more than one defendant, such cause of action may be
brought where any one or more of such defendants reside. In the
event any question of jurisdiction is raised under this sub-section
before final judgment, the People's Court is authorized to transfer
any such cause to the appropriate district for further proceedings.

6.   Actions triable in said Court shall be commenced by filing a
written statement of claim, in concise form and free from technicali-
ties, setting forth briefly the particulars of the plaintiff's claim, and
accompanied by any bond, bill of exchange, promissory note or other
instrument, writing or account, upon which such action is brought.
The plaintiff, or his agent or attorney, shall affix his signature to the
statement of claim, and, if required by law or rule, shall verify such
statement by oath or affirmation. When and as authorized by rule,
a clerk of said court shall, without charge therefor, assist in the
preparation of the statement of claim and other papers required to
be filed in an action in said Court, and administer requisite oaths or
affirmations.

7.   In any action of replevin not brought on a conditional sales
contract, the plaintiff, or any person on his behalf, may deposit with
the Clerk, after approval by any judge, in lieu of a replevin bond and
subject to such conditions as the Court may by rule prescribe, a sum