Except as the same may be otherwise amended by act of the Legislature, and except for the provisions of article twenty of this chapter, all of the provisions of chapter fifty of this code existing immediately prior to the effective date of this chapter shall remain in full force and effect until January 1, 1977.

Immediately after the expiration of his term of office and in no event later than thirty days thereafter each justice of the peace shall pay over to appropriate authorities or persons such moneys as may be held by him and submit such reports to such authorities or persons as are required by law.

Every justice of the peace, upon the expiration of his term of office, shall forthwith deliver his official docket, together with such dockets of his predecessors as he may have, to the magistrate court clerk or, if there is no magistrate court clerk, to the clerk of the circuit court, who shall maintain such dockets as directed by the Supreme Court of Appeals or by the judge of the circuit court, or the chief judge thereof if there is more than one judge of the circuit court.

No act done by a justice of the peace prior to January 1, 1977, shall be affected by virtue of the abolition of the office of justice of the peace. Matters pending before a justice of the peace prior to such date or which might otherwise require further action by a justice of the peace shall be handled by the magistrate to whom such matter is assigned or in such other manner as may be ordered by the judge of the circuit court, or the chief judge thereof if there is more than one judge of the circuit court.