1420                             Laws of Maryland                        [Ch. 809

GEORGE'S COUNTY", SUB-TITLE "Sureties" and to add new
Sections 1415A, 1415B, and 1415C AND 1415D to said Article and
title SUB-TITLE, to follow immediately after Section 1415 there-
of, relating to sureties on bonds in criminal cases and regulation
thereof in Prince George's County and matters generally relating
thereto.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 1415, 1416, 1417 and 1418 of Article 17 of the CODE
OF Public Local Laws of Prince George's County (1953 Edition),
title "PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY", SUB-TITLE "Sureties", be
and they are hereby repealed and re-enacted with amendments; and
that new Sections 1415A, 1415B and 1415C be and they are hereby
added to said Article and title SUB-TITLE, to follow immediately
after Section 1415 thereof, all to read as follows:

1415. Before any person or persons shall be accepted by any Jus-
tice of the Peace or the Police Justice TRIAL MAGISTRATE of
Prince George's County as a surety or sureties on any bond or bonds in
any criminal case before them or any of them, such person or persons
so offering themselves as surety or sureties shall make oath as
follows:

(1)   That said surety or sureties own real estate, and that the
same is located in Prince George's County, in the State of Maryland;
and what the true assessment of the same is, as evidenced by the
assessment books showing the last assessment of said real estate in
the jurisdiction where said property is located: and said last assess-
ment as aforesaid for the purpose of said suretyship, shall be taken
and considered by said Justice of the Peace or said Police Justice
TRIAL MAGISTRATE, as the case may be, the true value of said
property.

(2)   The amount of encumbrances, if any, on said property; that
is to say, the total amount of mortgages, if any; the total amount of
judgment, if any; the total amount of mechanics liens, if any; and
the total amount of recognizances forfeited absolute, if any; and the
aggregate of any such lien shall be added together and the total shall
be deducted from said assessed value as aforesaid, and the remainder
shall be considered the true equity value of said property for the
purpose of suretyship, and the same may be pledged for suretyship to
the extent, and only to the extent, of four times said equity value,
inclusive of the amount for which said surety or sureties then offer
themselves and their property. Should said real estate of said surety
or sureties be unencumbered then said property may be pledged to
the extent of four times the said assessed value obtained as afore-
said, inclusive of the amount for which said surety or sureties then
offer their property for pledge; and by the word "pledge" is meant
for the purpose herein intended, that the said surety or sureties, as
the case may be, if accepted as such, obligate and bind their real
estate in case of forfeiture absolute to pay the penalty of said bond
according to law.

1415A. Any person or persons writing more than one surety bond
per year shall file with the State's Attorney for Prince George's
County quarterly, on June 30, September 30, December 30 and March