640                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                   . [CH. 376

sub-title "Circuit Courts for the Counties", said new section to be
known as Section 40-A and to follow immediately after Section 40
of said Code, providing for the payment of initial costs in law and
equity cases docketed in Howard County.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article 26 of the An-
notated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition and 1954 Supplement) title
"Courts", sub-title "Circuit Courts for the Counties", said new sec-
tion to be known as Section 40-A and to follow immediately after
Section 40 of said Code, and to read as follows:

SEC. 40-A. No case at law or in equity shall be docketed in the Cir-
cuit Court for Howard County until the Clerk of the Circuit Court
for said County shall have been paid the initial costs therefor. The
initial costs for docketing an equity case shall be Fifteen Dollars
($15.00) and for docketing a law case, Ten Dollars ($10.00).

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1955.

Approved April 11, 1955.

CHAPTER 376
(House Bill 504)

AN ACT to add a new section to Article 16 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1951 Edition), title "Chancery", sub-title "Jurisdic-
tion", said new section to be known as Section 131A and to follow
immediately after Section 131 thereof, relating to suits to quiet
title to land in Equity Courts.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article 16 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition), title "Chancery", sub-
title "Jurisdiction", said new section to be known as Section 131A
and to follow immediately after Section 131 thereof and to read as
follows:

131 A. Any person being in actual peaceable possession of lands in
the State of Maryland or, in the event said lands be vacant and un-
occupied, in constructive and peaceable possession thereof, either
under color of title, or under claim of right by reason of his or his
predecessor's adverse possession for the statutory period, may, when
Ms title thereto, or any part thereof, is denied or disputed, or when
any other person claims or is claimed, of record or otherwise, to own
said lands, or any part thereof, or any interest therein, or to hold any
lien or encumbrance thereon, whether such hostile outstanding claim

EXPLANATION: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law.
CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken out of bill.