J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                      281

CHAPTER 260
(House Bill 105)

AN ACT to add new Section 71A to Article 26 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1957 Edition), title "Courts," to follow immediately
after Section 71 thereof, and to be under the new subtitle "Special
Powers in Juvenile Causes," providing that judges or magistrates
sitting in juvenile causes, may GRANT JUDGMENTS AGAINST
PARENTS OR require parents to make restitution in certain cases
where minor children of such parents are responsible for the de-
struction or theft of property owned by another and SPECIFYING
THE LIMITS OF SUCH LIABILITY, AND requiring the chil-
dren to make restitution in certain cases.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 71A be and it is hereby added to Article 26 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition), title "Courts," to
follow immediately after Section 71 thereof, to be under the new
subtitle "Special Powers in Juvenile Causes," and to read as follows:

Special Powers in Juvenile Causes
71A.

Any judge or magistrate, sitting in any juvenile cause, shall have

power to require any parent to make restitution for acts of destruc-

tion or theft of any property owned by another, caused or committed
by the minor child of such parent; provided, however, that the limit
of such parents liability under this section shall not exceed the sum of

five hundred dollars ($500.00); provided further, however, that the

court may pass an appropriate order requiring such minor child who

destroys or steals property to make restitution himself if such is

feasible considering the age and circumstances of such child and the

requirement of the child's making restitution shall precede any

liability of the parent hereunder.

ANY JUDGE HAVING, SITTING, AND EXERCISING JURIS-
DICTION IN ANY JUVENILE CAUSE, LAWFULLY BEFORE
HIM, SHALL, IN HIS DISCRETION, HAVE POWER TO AWARD
A JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF A WRONGED PERSON AND
AGAINST ANY PARENT FOR ACTS OF WILFUL OR MALI-
CIOUS DESTRUCTION OR THEFT OF ANY PROPERTY
OWNED BY SUCH WRONGED PERSON, CAUSED OR COM-
MITTED BY THE MINOR CHILD OF SUCH PARENT, OR SUCH
JUDGE MAY ORDER SUCH PARENT TO MAKE RESTITUTION
TO THE PERSON WHOSE PROPERTY HAS BEEN SO DE-
STROYED OR STOLEN AND SHALL HAVE FULL POWER TO
CITE FOR CONTEMPT FOR A VIOLATION THEREOF IF THE
FACTS OF A PARTICULAR CASE BEFORE HIM INDICATES
SUFFICIENT ABILITY OF SUCH PARENT TO COMPLY WITH
SUCH ORDER. THE LIMIT OF SUCH PARENT'S LIABILITY
UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL NOT EXCEED THE SUM OF
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500.00). THE COURT MAY PASS
AN APPROPRIATE ORDER REQUIRING SUCH MINOR CHILD
WHO WILFULLY OR MALICIOUSLY DESTROYS OR STEALS
PROPERTY TO MAKE RESTITUTION HIMSELF IF SUCH IS