J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                      399

County (1961 Edition), being Article 10 of the Code of Public
Local Laws of Maryland, title "Dorchester County," to follow
immediately after Section 324 thereof and to be under the new
subtitle "Sureties," relating to sureties on bonds in criminal
cases and regulation thereof in Dorchester County and matters
generally relating thereto.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Sections 324A, 324B, 324C, 324D, 324E, 324F, 324G and
324H be and they are hereby added to the Code of Public Local
Laws of Dorchester County (1961 Edition), being Article 10 of the
Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland, title "Dorchester County,"
to follow immediately after Section 324 thereof and to be under the
new subtitle "Sureties," and to read as follows:

324A.

Before any person or persons shall be accepted by any BY ANY
COURT OR BEFORE ANY trial magistrate of Dorchester 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 Dorchester 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 as-
sessment as aforesaid for the purpose of said suretyship, shall be
taken and considered by said COURT OR 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 aforesaid, 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.

324B.

Any person or persons writing more than one surety bond per
year shall file with the State's Attorney for Dorchester County
semi-annually on June 30 and December 30 of each year a written
report under oath setting forth the following information: