1502                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 722

or defendants shall remain subject to arrest and to such disposition
as the Court may order.

(f)  The defendant or defendants may file a written answer to the
bill or petition at any time before the case is called for trial. The
answer need not be in any particular form. In any case in which a
written answer is not filed, the Court, at the time the case is called
for trial, unless the material allegations of the bill or petition are
admitted in open Court, shall enter a general denial of the complaint
on behalf of the defendant or defendants who have not filed a
written answer and who have not admitted the material allegations.
In every case where the defendant or defendants appear for trial
without having filed a written answer or where a written answer
admitting the complaint shall have been filed and the defendant or
defendants are not represented by counsel, the Court shall satisfy
itself, by reading to said, defendant or defendants the complaint
stated in the bill or petition or in such other manner as the Court
deems sufficient, that said defendant or defendants understand the
nature and substance of the complaint against them.

(g)  It is not necessary for any party under legal disability by
reason of infancy, mental incapacity, or otherwise to proceed by
next friend or to defend by guardian ad litem, and all proceedings
and action by or against such party as well as any action taken on
behalf of such party by his or her solicitor of record is binding on
such party to the same extent as if he were sui juris. Provided,
however, that in all such cases it is the duty of ANY PERSON HAV-
ING SUCH KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICULARLY the solicitor for
any of the parties to advise the Court of any known legal disability of
any party to the proceedings, and the Court has full power and
authority to take such action and to order such proceedings as to
the Court may seem just and proper for the protection of the rights
of such party.

(h) Any process required to be served or executed pursuant to the
provisions of this subtitle shall be served or executed in the manner
provided by law or rule of Court for service or execution of any
process on a person sui juris.

66F.

(a)  If the bill or petition shall have been filed prior to the birth of
the child, no trial on the merits shall be had until after the birth of
said child. In the interim, however, the Court has power (1) to
order the person alleged to be the father of the child and/or the
pregnant woman to give bond in such form and penalty as the
Court prescribes, conditioned upon their further appearance in the
proceedings and their compliance with such orders as may there-
after be passed therein; (2) to increase or decrease any bond which
may have been theretofore furnished by the alleged father and/or
the pregnant woman; and (3) to conduct such other preliminary
proceedings as the Court deems just and proper.

(b)  At any time after the birth of the child, a hearing shall be held
by the Court in which the bill or petition is filed without a jury,
unless the defendant alleged to be the father of the child elects a
jury trial as hereinafter provided. Both the mother and the putative
father are competent to testify, but the defendant alleged to be the
putative father shall not be compelled to give evidence and the bur-