Maryland Code, STATE GOVERNMENT 20-1036
Terms Used In Maryland Code, STATE GOVERNMENT 20-1036
- County: means a county of the State or Baltimore City. See
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- including: means includes or including by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. See
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- Person: includes an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, representative of any kind, corporation, partnership, business trust, statutory trust, limited liability company, firm, association, or other nongovernmental entity. See
- Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
- Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
(1) (i) a person or group of persons is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of any of the rights granted by this part and Subtitle 7 of this title; or
(ii) any group of persons has been denied any of the rights granted by this part and Subtitle 7 of this title; and
(2) the resistance or denial raises an issue of general public importance.
(b) The Commission or other party at whose request a subpoena is issued under this part may enforce a subpoena in appropriate proceedings in the circuit court for the county in which the person to whom the subpoena was addressed resides, was served, or transacts business.
(c) (1) In a civil action under subsection (a) of this section, the court may:
(i) award preventive relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order against the person responsible for a violation of Subtitle 7 of this title as necessary to ensure the full enjoyment of the rights granted by Subtitle 7 of this title;
(ii) award other relief the court considers appropriate, including monetary damages to aggrieved persons; and
(iii) to vindicate the public interest, assess a civil penalty against the respondent:
1. in an amount not exceeding $50,000, for a first violation; and
2. in an amount not exceeding $100,000, for any subsequent violation.
(2) In a civil action under this section, the court may allow the prevailing party, including the Commission, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
(d) (1) On timely application, a person may intervene in a civil action commenced by the Commission under subsection (a) or (b) of this section, if the action involves:
(i) an alleged discriminatory housing practice to which the person is an aggrieved person; or
(ii) a conciliation agreement to which the person is a party.
(2) The court may grant any appropriate relief to any intervening party that is authorized to be granted to a plaintiff in a civil action under § 20-1035 of this subtitle.