On October 1, 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (D.C. District Court) entered a final judgment and order in the matter of Adavenaixx v. Howard University, approving a class action settlement and release that the parties had executed on May 6, 2024 (which the court had…
This article outlines the appellate process in Maryland State court in five parts: initiation of the appeal and preliminary procedures; briefing deadlines and word count limits; the record extract; oral argument; and the time until an opinion is issued and petitions for review before the Supreme Court of Maryland. This…
The Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore County (BLLC) is responsible for regulating and controlling the number of establishments permitted to sell alcohol in Baltimore County. The BLLC is responsible for: processing applications for and transfers/renewals of licenses to sell beer, wine, and liquor; conducting inspections of licensed businesses;…
On August 20, 2024, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown of the Northern District of Texas struck down a proposed rule by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that sought to impose a nationwide ban on non-compete agreements. Ryan, LLC v. FTC, –F. Supp.3d – (N.D. Tex., Aug. 20, 2024). The decision…
If you’ve litigated a contract dispute in Maryland, you’ve likely referred to the “four corners” rule, which means the reviewing court interprets a contract based on the language within the document itself. If that language is unambiguous, the terms of the agreement control regardless of the parties’ subjective intent. A…
On Friday, June 21, 2024, Under Armour announced that, subject to court approval, it had settled a pending securities class action in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. The settlement closes a case originally filed in February 2017, which had twice been dismissed with prejudice before finding…
The Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City (BLLC) is responsible for limiting and/or restricting the number of establishments permitted to sell alcohol in Baltimore City. The BLLC is responsible for processing applications for and transfers/renewals of licenses to sell beer, wine and liquor; conducting period inspections of licensed…
In February 2023, Silverman Thompson initiated an action in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County on behalf of its client, a 105-year-old World War II Veteran. As alleged in the lawsuit, Silverman Thompson’s client had lived in the same home since 1960, which had been owned by his parents. Following…
Forty years ago, the Supreme Court decided Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense, which gave deference to federal agencies to implement their charging statutes. In its latest term, the Court’s 6-3 decision in Loper Bright Enters. v. Raimondo overturned Chevron and dramatically altered the balance of power between federal agencies and…
Many business creditors know that their customers are in financial distress before a bankruptcy filing. In this post, we cover two major issues that creditors must be aware of when a business or individual, perhaps a customer, borrower, or supplier, files a petition for bankruptcy protection: (1) the automatic stay…
What if I purchase a home “as-is” and later discover latent defects that are significant and expensive to repair? Buyers can submit to mediation through Maryland REALTORS® to recover damages associated with latent defects not disclosed at the time of sale. In the State of Maryland, the standard Residential…
On May 23, 2024, after nearly a year of motions practice, Judge George L. Russell III of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland granted plaintiff’s motion to remand its putative class action to state court. Serving as local counsel, Silverman Thompson filed the class action in…
In fall 2021, Silverman Thompson filed suit in federal court in Pennsylvania on behalf of a provider of inmate communication services for prisons. The suit alleged that just as Silverman Thompson’s client was about to finalize a contract with a county prison, the incumbent service provider and business rival used…
Senate Bill 19 requires the District Court to shield all court records relating to the filing of a Failure to Pay Rent Complaint within sixty (60) days after the final resolution of the nonpayment of rent case if the case did not result in a judgment for possession. Further, upon…
What is the Tenant Safety Act of 2024? Pursuant to House Bill 1117, effective October 1, 2024, the statute commonly known as the “rent escrow statute” will be amended to: Allow multiple tenants to join as plaintiffs in a Petition in Action of Rent Escrow (commonly known as a rent…