Petitions for Writ of Certiorari - September, 2022

PETITIONS FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI

September Term, 2022

 

 

Granted September 23, 2022

Baltimore Police Department, et al. v. Open Justice Baltimore – Case No. 20, September Term, 2022

Issues – General Provisions – 1) Does the discretionary language in Md. Code § 4-206(3) of the General Provisions Article, stating that, under certain conditions, “[t]he official custodian may waive a fee under this section,” require the official custodian to waive a fee when police misconduct investigation records are requested? 2) When an official custodian denies a fee waiver request in good faith, but a reviewing court rules that the denial is arbitrary and capricious for failure to consider an additional relevant factor, is the proper remedy a remand to the agency to consider that additional factor, or summary reversal (i.e., ordering the agency to waive the fee)? 3) Did CSA err by reversing the circuit’s affirmation of Petitioner’s fee waiver denial when there was sworn affidavit evidence in the record that Petitioner had considered the relevant factors in determining that the requested waiver was not in the public interest?

 

 

Granted September 30, 2022

In re: Petition for Emergency Remedy by the Maryland State Board of Elections – Case No. 21, September Term, 2022

Issues – Election Law – 1) Did the trial court correctly rule that the remedy sought under Md. Code § 8-103(b)(1) of the Election Law (“E.L.”)article comports with the principle of separation of powers because the remedy, an adjustment to the electoral calendar, is a function routinely entrusted to the judicial branch? 2) Did the trial court correctly rule that the incoming volume of mail-in ballots and inadequate time frame in which to process them constitute “emergency circumstances” that “interfere with the electoral process” as those terms are used in E.L. § 8-103(b)(1)?