(3) The District Court shall issue its summons, directed to any constable
or sheriff of the county entitled to serve process, and ordering [him] THE CONSTABLE
OR SHERIFF to notify [by first-class mail] the tenant, assignee, or subtenant BY
FIRST-CLASS MAIL:

(I) [to] TO appear before the District Court at the trial to be held
on the fifth day after the filing of the complaint[,]; AND

(II) [to] TO answer the landlord's complaint to show cause why the
[prayer] DEMAND of the landlord should not be granted[, and].

(4) (I) [the] THE constable or sheriff shall proceed to serve the
summons upon the tenant, assignee or subtenant OR THEIR [in the property or upon
his] known or authorized agent AS FOLLOWS:[, but if for any reason, neither the
tenant, assignee or subtenant, nor his agent, can be found,]

1. IF PERSONAL SERVICE IS REQUESTED AND ANY OF THE
PERSONS WHOM THE SHERIFF SHALL SERVE IS FOUND ON THE PROPERTY, THE
SHERIFF SHALL SERVE ANY SUCH PERSONS;

2. IF PERSONAL SERVICE IS REQUESTED AND NONE OF THE
PERSONS WHOM THE SHERIFF IS DIRECTED TO SERVE SHALL BE FOUND ON THE
PROPERTY AND, IN ALL CASES WHERE PERSONAL SERVICE IS NOT REQUESTED,
[then] the constable or sheriff shall affix an attested copy of the summons
conspicuously upon the property.

(II) The affixing of the summons upon the property after due
notification to the tenant, assignee, or subtenant by first-class mail shall conclusively
be presumed to be a sufficient service to all persons to support the entry of a default
judgment for possession of the premises, together with court costs, in favor of the
landlord, but it shall not be sufficient service to support a default judgment in favor of
the landlord for the amount of rent due.

[(2)] (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of [paragraph (1)]
PARAGRAPHS (1) THROUGH (4) of this subsection, in Wicomico County, in an action to
repossess any premises under this section, service of process on a tenant may be
directed to any person authorized under the Maryland Rules to serve process.

(c) (1) If, at the trial on the fifth day indicated in subsection (b) of this
section, the court is satisfied that the interests of justice will be better served by an
adjournment to enable either party to procure [his] THEIR necessary witnesses, [he]
THE COURT may adjourn the trial for a period not exceeding [one] 1 day, except [that
if] WITH the consent of all parties, [is obtained,] the trial may be adjourned for a
longer period of time.

(2) (I) If, when the trial occurs, it appears to the satisfaction of the
court, that the rent, or any part of the rent[, is] AND LATE FEES ARE actually due and
unpaid, the court shall determine the amount of rent [due] and LATE FEES DUE AS
OF THE DATE THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED, IF THE TRIAL OCCURS WITHIN THE TIME
SPECIFIED BY SUBSECTION (B)(2) OF THIS SECTION.

(II) IF THE TRIAL DOES NOT OCCUR WITHIN THE TIME SPECIFIED