WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

in controversy must exceed "$2,500, exclusive of attorney's fees
if attorney's fees are recoverable by law or contract." Section
4-402(d)(1)(i) of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article.

The intent behind both Senate Bill 359 and House Bill 1303
is to have class action suits adjudicated in the Circuit Court.
In addition, Senate Bill 359 requires that class action suits
meet the minimum standards for amounts in controversy. Because I
believe that any action in the Circuit Court should meet these
criteria, I believe that Senate Bill 359 incorporates a more
satisfactory approach to the issue.

For this reason, I have vetoed House Bill 1303.

Sincerely,

William Donald Schaefer

Governor

House Bill No. 1303

AN ACT concerning

Courts and Judicial Proceedings - Class Actions -
Jurisdiction

FOR the purpose of giving the circuit court exclusive original
civil jurisdiction over all class actions regardless of the
amount in controversy.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

Section 4-402

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1984 Replacement Volume and 1986 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

4-402.

(a)  Except as provided in §§ 4-401 and 4-404 of this
subtitle, the District Court does not have equity jurisdiction.

(b)  The District Court does not have jurisdiction to decide
the ownership of real property or of an interest in real
property.

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