Maryland Appellate Court

Gambino v. State - Criminal Law and Child Welfare Opinion

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals filed an opinion in Gambino v. State on March 17, 2026, addressing the sufficiency of evidence for false statements to law enforcement and contributing to a child in need of assistance. The court also ruled on the reasonableness of a delay in searching a seized cell phone.

Kim v. Parcel K-Tudor Hall Farm - Interpleader Finality of Judgment

The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland dismissed an appeal in Kim v. Parcel K-Tudor Hall Farm, ruling that an interpleader judgment is not final until all claimant claims are resolved. The court found the appeal premature as the circuit court had not yet completed the second step of the interpleader process.

City of Brunswick v. Handler - Police Disciplinary Procedures

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals affirmed a lower court's decision in City of Brunswick v. Handler, ruling that the Maryland Police Accountability Act's trial board process applies to all disciplinary actions against police officers, not just those involving the public. This clarifies the scope of disciplinary procedures for law enforcement agencies in Maryland.

Dennie v. Montgomery County - Workers' Compensation Offset Law

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled that the workers' compensation law in effect at the time of an employee's disablement, not a later amendment, applies to benefit offset calculations. The court reversed a lower court's decision, remanding the case for further proceedings.

In re Holder - Collateral Estoppel in Insurance Regulatory Scheme

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled that administrative hearings under the Insurance Article can have collateral estoppel effects on later proceedings, clarifying the application of collateral estoppel to regulatory schemes. The court also addressed the good faith requirement for claim denials and the separation of civil claims from judicial review petitions.

Bailey v. Happer - SAFE ACT Retroactive Application

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled in Bailey v. Happer that the SAFE Act may not be applied retroactively, but conduct predating the statute can be considered. The court affirmed a $395,310 award for financial exploitation.

Reid v. Balt. Ambulatory Center - Expert Witness Qualifications in Health Care Malpractice

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled that an anesthesiologist can provide expert testimony on the standard of care for a gastroenterologist's post-procedure assessment, provided the specialties are related and the issue overlaps. This clarifies expert witness qualification requirements under the Health Care Malpractice Claims Act.

Kyere v. Durand - Arbitration Agreement

The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland addressed whether a non-signatory agent can enforce an arbitration agreement. The court affirmed that doctors employed by a hospital had standing to compel arbitration under an employment agreement, citing interdependent misconduct and agency.

Wharton v. State - Probation Extension Consent Ruling

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled that an illegal probation extension, even if consented to by the defendant, is void. The court found that while a defendant may consent to probation terms, they cannot consent to illegal conditions, and violations under such an extension are invalid. This ruling impacts how probation extensions with impermissible conditions are handled in Maryland courts.