568                              Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 181

bonds in criminal cases until he shall have been approved by such
rules as the Circuit Court for Prince George's County may adopt. The
said bondsmen so approved shall pay a license fee of one (1) percent
of the gross value of all bonds written in all courts of the county. The
fee shall be paid to the court as prescribed by the rules of court. The
said fee shall be used for the payment of any expenses incident to
the administration of this section. Any absolute bond forfeitures col-
lected may be used to defray the above expenses.

76. Jurisdiction and powers of court.

Except as otherwise provided, the [People's Court judge for ju-
venile causes of Montgomery County] judges of the District Court
in Montgomery County sitting for juvenile causes shall have the fol-
lowing jurisdiction and powers:

(a)  The court shall have exclusive jurisdiction in proceedings con-
cerning any child within Montgomery County who is alleged to be
delinquent, dependent, neglected, or to be in need of supervision; and
except where the child is under the jurisdiction of a circuit court of
the State of Maryland, the court shall have the power to determine the
custody of the person of any child living within the county whose
welfare appears to be endangered, and to determine parental rights in
connection with such proceedings and to order either the father or
mother of said child to pay such sum as will cover in whole or in part
the support of such child after giving the parents a reasonable oppor-
tunity to be heard.

(b)  The judge shall have power to place any child found to be de-
linquent, dependent or neglected or a child who is in need of super-
vision in the custody of such person or persons, juvenile institution
or juvenile agency, or to appoint a guardian of the person therefor,
for such period of time as may be deemed for the best interest and
welfare of said child, if it shall appear that the present custodian or
parent is not a fit person to have the custody of such child or that it
would be conducive to the best interest of such child to have a change
of custodian or to be placed under guardianship. A guardian appointed
hereunder shall have no control over the property of his ward, unless
and until he shall apply for and receive such authority under other
applicable provisions of this Code.

(c)  The judge shall have power at any stage of the proceedings in
the case of a child who is charged with delinquency, or whose care,
commitment or custody is involved before the court, to suspend sen-
tence, final judgment or further proceedings for such period of time
or for an indefinite period of time, as may be deemed necessary, and
at the time of suspension of sentence, final judgment or further pro-
ceedings, or subsequent thereto, he may impose such terms and con-
ditions as may be deemed proper and necessary.

(d)  The court shall have original jurisdiction in proceedings under
§ 79 of this article against adults charged with willfully contributing
to, encouraging, or tending to cause by any act or omission any condi-
tion which would bring a child within the provisions of this subtitle.
The defendant shall have the right to elect to be tried either in the
juvenile court or in the criminal court according to the usual criminal
procedure.