Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva's Black History

Record Detail

Record #8 from Laws and Legislation Related to Slavery and Free Blacks in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (1642-1860)

Date Mar. 22, 1838
Law/Legislation Law
Jurisdiction MD
Title An act to limit the number of Constables in the several Election districts in Anne Arundel county, and to increase their Fees.
Description/Full Text SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That from and after the first day of April next, the Commissioners of Anne Arundel county he, and they are hereby required to appoint, not exceeding three suitable persons for the office of constable in each election district in said county, who shall, when so appointed, comply with, and strictly adhere to the laws of this State now existing in relation to consta- bles and their fees, except so far as hereinafter provi- ded for. Three consta- bles for each E. District. Fees for duties SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That from and after the first day of April next, the several constables in the several election districts in Anne Arundel county shall be allowed to take and receive, for their services the following fees, and no more: for serving a warrant for debt under fifty dollars and return, forty cents; for serving warrant over fifty dollars and return, fifty cents; for serving State's warrant .and return, fifty cents; for serving scire facias and return, forty cents; for inflicting stripes agreeable to a judgment of a jus- tice of the peace, fifty cents; for delivering a person committed over to the jailor, one dollar; for dispersing tumultuous meetings of negroes, such sum as the com- missioners of said county may think proper, not ex- ceeding twenty-five dollars in any one year; for taking up runaways, six dollars; for levying fieri facias and return, twenty cents: for serving execution on body and return, twenty cents; for summoning jury of in- quest for each person summoned, twelve and a half cents; for serving an attachment for contempt, fifty cents; for levying distress for rent, one dollar and twenty-five cents, for which cost the tenant shall in all cases bo liable to the landlord; for summoning ap- praisers on distress for rent, for each appraiser sum- moned, twenty cents; for swearing appraisers each ten cents. Shall keep doc- kets. SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That it shall he. the duty of the several constables in the several election dis- tricts in said comity to keep a regular docket, in which they shall enter all cases which may be placed Manner of en- tries. in their hands for service or collection, in the follow- ing manner: A. B. vs. C. D. debt, whatever the amount may he, receipted for this day of —— in the year of —— which said docket, so kept by said con- stable, shall he placed in the hands of the chief jus- tices of the district, annually, for which said consta- ble or constables may have been appointed; and the said chief justice of the district, in the hands of whom it may be placed, shall cause the said constable so pla- cing his docket in the hands of said chief justice, to Affidavit there- on. endorse thereon the following affidavit: Maryland, Anne Arundel county, sct. Personally appeared before me, Chief Justice of the Magistrates' Court for the ——— election district in Anne Arundel county, A. B. one of the constables thereof, and made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God, that the docket re- turned and placed in the hands of —— chief justice of the —— election district in said county, is a true and faithful record of all proceedings and business placed in his hands during the year for which said docket has been kept. Case of neglect of duties. SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That if any constable or constables, appointed under the provisions of this act, shall fail, neglect or refuse to keep, return, or place in the hands of the Chief Justice of the Magis- trates' Court for the election district in which he is appointed, the said constable or constables so refusing, neglecting or failing to comply with the provisions of Liable to $50 penalty. this act, shall forfeit and pay over to the said chief justice of the election district for which he may be ap- pointed, the sum of fifty dollars, to be recovered as debts are now recovered before the magistrates' courts in said county, and applied or accounted for in the same manner as all other money is accounted for un- der the provisions of the law now regulating magis- trates' courts in said county. SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That whenever any per- son or persons shall place or cause to be placed in the hands of any constable in any of the several election districts in said county, any account, bond, bill, note or other evidence of debt, or any warrant, writ or ex- ecution, or any process which said constable may be by the laws of this State authorised and obliged to serve, on taking or receiving a receipt therefor, shall pay to the said constable the sum of twelve and a half cents as a compensation for making docket entry and CHAP. 272. 12½ cts for doc- ket entry. receipting therefor. SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That the constable's docket so filed and returned, to the Chief Justice of the Magistrates' Court for the district for which the said constable doth act, shall be kept by the said court for the purpose of giving or furnishing transcripts to Constables doc- ket, how dis- posed of. any person or persons who may desire the same; and the said chief justice or either of the associate justi- ces shall be allowed, and are hereby authorised to charge and receive, for a transcript given to any per- son or persons, the sum of twelve and a half cents. 12½ for trans- cripts.
Additional Information
Source https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000601/html/am601--277.html http://slavery.msa.maryland.gov/html/research/histlaw.html
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[Author (if known)], Laws and Legislation Related to Slavery and Free Blacks in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (1642-1860), [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.

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