Court of Appeals postpones oral arguments scheduled for early April

ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland Court of Appeals on Tuesday postponed the eight oral arguments it was scheduled to hear during the first week of April due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has spurred the high court’s chief judge to suspend court operations throughout the state except for emergency proceedings.

In her postponement order, Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera said the court would “entertain requests” from counsel in the eight cases that they be decided based on the written filings alone, forgoing the need for oral arguments.

Barbera’s order came a day after Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. indefinitely postponed the U.S. Supreme Court’s arguments scheduled for later this month.

Maryland Bar Counsel Lydia Lawless, whose office had three arguments slated for April, said Tuesday that she would review those attorney discipline cases and decide if they are amenable to a high court decision based solely on the written filings.

The Maryland Attorney General’s Office, which had two cases scheduled, said in a statement that it respected the chief judge’s decision.