June 2026 Maryland Certiorari Grants, Part 2
A few hours after the Supreme Court of Maryland’s opinion in Board of Education of Wicomico County v. Sturm, addressing local school boards’ sovereign immunity against claims under the Child Victims Act of 2023, the Court granted bypass review in a case addressing the State’s sovereign immunity.
Read More…June 2026 Maryland Certiorari Grants
On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Maryland granted review in three criminal appeals and one civil appeal. In all three criminal appeals, the Office of the Public Defender filed the petitions, two involving voir dire questioning. The Appellate Court opinions in all four appeals were unreported, and all four are scheduled to be argued in October.
Read More…SCOTUS Gives More Room for Advocacy in Appeal-Waiver Cases
For attorneys on the Fourth Circuit Criminal Justice Act appellate panel, no issue arises more frequently than the scope of appellate waivers in plea agreements. And no issue leads to more Anders briefs when appointed counsel identifies no potentially meritorious legal issue.
Today the Supreme Court of the United States issued an 8-to-1 opinion, Hunter v. United States, which is likely to become one of the most-cited cases in the country. Justice Kagan’s opinion for the Court recognized the “miscarriage of justice” exception to enforceability of appeal waivers:
Read More…
Maryland Appellate Blog 