The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-06-02
New Trial Magistrates
System
Substitution of Fixed Salary For
Fees Among Important Provi-
sion of Bill

Annapolis, May 29-Under the
provisions of House Bill 100. sign
ed the other day by Governor Her.
bert R. O'Conor, June /, will mark
the Inauguration of the Trial Mag
istrates' System throughout the
twenty-three counties of the State,
and the abolition of the antiquated
"fee system of payment for mag
istrates, which system was bitterly
attacked by Governor O'Conor dur
ing his campaign.
A total of seventy-flve Trial Mag
istrates are provided, with Balti-
more County having the largest
number, fourteen, and Allegany
Washington and Frederick counties
are given five each; Cecil, Garrett,
Hartford and Worcester, four each;
and from one to three for each OF
the remaining counties.
In prescribing the duties OF the
magistrates, the Bill stipulates that
amy civil or criminal action OIL pro-
ceeding instituted before justice of
the peace, other than trial mag
istrate, shall be promptly removed
by said justice, by a transfer of the
original papers, with a copy OF the
docket entries, to the nearest or only
trail magistrates of the county for
trial and determination or other ac-
ton within his jurisdiction, etc."
Trial magistrates shall have pos
sess power to suspend sentence in
any case within their jurisdiction,
provided that such suspension is
made at the trial of the case and
not after judgment has been pro-
nounced."
Salaries Instead of Fees
Stipulated in the. title of the bill,
as part of its purpose, is ito make
application to all the counties the
policy heretofore applied by law i'll
Baltimore City and to a partio ai ex-
tent in certain counties, of substitut.
ing salaries for the fees paid in
civil and criminal cases as the
method of compromising justices of
the peace for the Performance of their
duties in such cases, and to pro-
vide for the payment of such sal
aries by the County Commission
ers". In Baltimore County, for in
stance, the salary specified in the
Bill for the magistrate at Towson is
$4,000 per year, with six others re-
ceiving $1,000 and the remaining
seven, $1,000 per year. The highest
salaries provided are for the two
sitting magistrates at Cumberland,
$4,000 per year each. Salaries OF
the remaining magistrates through
out the counties, many of whom
will sit only part-time, range down
to $500 per year.
Substitutes Provided
Justices of the peace other than
trial magistrates will receive $4,000
per year for their respective coun-
ties, except, Talbot and Queen
Anne's, where $4,000 per year is
specified. However, they may re-
tain all fees lawfully charged by
them for taking Acknowledgements
or affidavits unrelated to their civil
or criminal jurisdiction. In addition
to the justices of the peace, one for
each election district of each coun-
ty; and the trial magistrates, the
Bill provides that the Governor
shall appoint one justice OF the
peace "at large" for each county,
who shall be designated as Sub
stitute Trial Magistrate. They will
receive salary of $4,000 per year,
except the substitute magistrate for
Baltimore county, who shall receive
$4,000 per year, in addition to the
compensation, on pro-rata basis,
for every day he shall sit in place
of another magistrate.