Maryland judge refuses to halt Montgomery County’s indoor dining ban as coronavirus cases surge
By Rachel Chason, Rebecca Tan and Patricia Sullivan
After a 12-hour hearing, a Maryland judge upheld a ban on indoor dining in Montgomery County late Wednesday, agreeing with a judge in neighboring Prince George’s County who made a similar ruling earlier in the day.
Their verdicts came as coronavirus cases continued to surge across the region and as Democratic lawmakers and officials urged Gov. Larry Hogan (R) to tap reserve funds for pandemic relief.
“The county council, the county executive are trying to protect this community from death and from the virus,” Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge James A. Bonifant said in his concluding remarks. “I believe that standard is clear, and I believe that they are doing the best they can.”