904

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 267

with reference thereto, whether for any fee, gratuity, gift,
or reward or not, except in any such cause, cause of action,
proceeding or matter in which he is a [part] PARTY or in the
result of which he has a property interest, provided that a
judge of the Orphans' Court of Prince George's County, when
he is elected to serve a term commencing after June 1, 1965,
if duly admitted to the practice of law, may act as an
attorney or solicitor and appear before any court of law or
equity in this State except an orphans' court, in matters
other than those within the jurisdiction of an orphans'
court, and which are not related to the administration or
settlement of estates and guardianships; the doing of any of
the acts made unlawful by this section shall be deemed to be
practicing law: Provided, however, that the performance of
any positive duty imposed by law upon any of the persons
hereinabove named shall not constitute a violation of the
terms of this section; and provided further, that nothing in
this section shall apply to or affect the settlement of
small estates in the Orphans' Court of Prince George's
County, as set forth in §§ 5-601 through 5-607 of the
Estates and Trusts Article of the Code. In Montgomery
County, clerks, sheriffs, or employees of the register of
wills shall not be liable to any person with respect to any
advice or assistance in the preparation of any statement of
claim.

Article 11 - Banks and Trust Companies

37A.

Sections 31, 37, and 40 of this [subtitle] ARTICLE
relating to the duties and powers of the office of the Bank
Commissioner and relating to the Banking Board are of no
effect and may not be enforced after July 1, 1982.

Article 16 - Chancery

49.

When any person charged with the commission of a
criminal offense is shown to the satisfaction of the judge
before whom he is brought to be suffering from chronic
alcoholism, or who is habitually addicted to the use of
narcotic drugs as that term is defined in [§ 276] SECTION
277 of Article 27 of this Code as amended from time to time,
the judge may commit him to one of the State hospitals for
evaluation, treatment and observation, under terms and
conditions as he may determine. The commitment shall be for
not less than 96 hours or for more than six weeks. The
superintendent of the hospital or other facility may
terminate the commitment at any time after 96 hours upon his
determination that further continued commitment will not be
in the best interests of the patient or serve any useful
purpose. In the case of a user of narcotic drugs, the
commitment shall be made by the judge only after
consultation with the superintendent of the mental hospital
to which the commitment is to be made.