J. MILLARD TAWES, Governor                     1257

magistrates and justices of the peace in said counties shall continue
in all respects to be effective as to the People's Court of Mont-
gomery County and to the People's Court of Prince George's County
and to the People's Court of Harford County.

100A.

(a)    [For the purpose of hearing cases within the jurisdiction
provided for in Section 6(k), the trial magistrates of Harford
County shall be and they are designated as the People's Court of
Harford County.

(b)    The People's Court of Harford County shall have concurrent
original jurisdiction at law in all civil cases arising in Harford
County, including all cases for the enforcement of contracts, to
obtain redress for wrongs, in actions of replevin and attachments
as provided in Article 9 of this Code, where the debt or damages
claimed or the amount in controversy does not exceed the amount
specified in Section 6(k) of this article, and cases between landlord
and tenant arising under Article 53 of this Code and all civil cases
arising in Harford County over which justices of the peace or trial
magistrates had jurisdiction prior to January 1, 1960.

(c)    [All trials of cases before the court] Trials of civil cases
before the People's Court of Harford County shall be conducted in
such manner as to do substantial justice between the parties accord-
ing to the rules of substantive law, the equity and right of the
matter, and without regard to technical rules of practice, procedure
or pleading.

[d]    (b) [A majority of the magistrates] The judges of said
court, with the approval of the judges of the Circuit Court of Har-
ford County resident therein, [is] are authorized to prescribe by
general rules the practice and procedure in said court including,
but not limited to, provision for registered or certified mail service,
return days, trial day, practice in suits against nonresidents, attach-
ments, replevins, joint tort-feasors, counterclaims, cross-claims, con-
solidations, continuances, depositions, dismissals, arbitrations, set-
offs, appeal bonds, summary judgments, judgments by default,
judgments by confession, supplementary proceedings, new trial and
such other matters not inconsistent with law.

(c)    [e] Any statutory reference to trial magistrates shall be
interpreted as meaning the [magistrates] judges of the People's
Court of Harford County including laws controlling fees, costs, and
appeals, but not limited thereto. In lieu of the statutory schedule
of fees the [magistrates] judges of the People's Court, with the
approval of the judges of the Circuit Court resident in Harford
County, may adopt a schedule of fees and costs in all cases filed in
said court.

(d)    [f] Clerical assistance shall be appointed by [a majority
of said magistrates, subject to the approval of expenses and com-
pensation by the County Commissioners of Harford County] the
said judges FROM A LIST OF NAMES SUBMITTED TO THEM
UNDER THE HARFORD COUNTY MERIT SYSTEM, and the
County Commissioners of Harford County shall provide funds for
such clerical assistance and for necessary facilities, staff, and equip-
ment at the main court in Bel Air and in the four locations comprising