J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                       1305

shall mean any of the biennial elections at which members of the
House of Representatives are regularly chosen.

152E. (a) The two Judges of said Court shall select one of the
Judges of said Court as Chief Judge and Administrative Officer who
shall receive an annual salary of Six Thousand Five Hundred Dol-
lars ($6,500). The other Judge shall receive an annual salary of Six
Thousand Dollars ($6,000).

(b) The Judges of said Court may engage in the private practice
of law during their terms of office but not in said Court nor in con-
nection with any case of which the People's Court has jurisdiction.

. 152F. Judges of the Court shall both sit at Ellicott City.

152G. The Judges of the People's Court of Howard County shall
have all the authority, power, civil and criminal jurisdiction in the
whole of said county, heretofore vested in the justices of the peace
designated as trial magistrates and other justices of the peace of
said county. In civil cases, the Judges shall have jurisdiction in cases
where the amount in controversy does not exceed One Thousand Dol-
lars ($1,000), which jurisdictions shall be exclusive in cases in-
volving amounts not exceeding Three Hundred Dollars ($300), and
provided that all cases where the amount in controversy exceeds Five
Hundred Dollars ($500) may be immediately transferred or removed
for trial by any party to the Circuit Court for Howard County.

152H. In addition to the power above enumerated and not in
derogation or limitation thereof, the Judges of the People's Court
shall have the following powers:

(a)   To provide by appropriate rules and printed forms, for the
administration of said Court and for the expeditious, orderly, effi-
cient and simple practice and procedure in said Court which may
relate to, and include, but shall not be limited to, the fixing of court
costs, registered or certified mail service, return days, practice in
suits against nonresidents, attachments, replevins, joint tort-feasors,
counterclaims, cross-claims, and consolidations, continuances, depo-
sitions, dismissals, arbitrations, set-offs, appeal bonds, summary
judgments, judgments by default, judgments by confession, supple-
mentary proceedings, new trial, and such other matters not incon-
sistent with law. Such rules shall have the force of law until re-
scinded or modified by the said Judges or by the General Assembly.

(b)   To punish for contempt of court.

(c)   To suspend or reduce sentence and/or costs in any case within
their jurisdiction within ten (10) days after judgment has been
pronounced.

152-I. (a) The Governor by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate shall appoint justices of the peace in Howard County
who shall be designated committing magistrates of the People's
Court of Howard County and who from and after January 1, 1965,
shall have throughout the county all the powers and jurisdiction
vested by law in justices of the peace other than trial magistrates
and substitute trial magistrates.

(b) From and after January 1, 1965, the committing magistrates
shall receive an annual salary set by the County Commissioners.