Supreme Court of Maryland Denied Certiorari in Guthrie v. Vincenti

Generally, I post blogs about e-discovery.  However, together with Alan Rifkin, Stuart Cherry, and Rifkin Weiner Livingston LLC, I have had the honor of representing the President of the County Council of Harford County, Maryland: in the Circuit Court; as appellee in the Appellate Court; and now in successfully opposing a request for a writ of certiorari in the Supreme Court of Maryland.

The opinion is reported at Guthrie v. Vincenti, bypass cert. denied, 490 Md. 138 (2025), subsequent opinion, 269 Md. App. 680 (2026), cert. denied, __ Md. __ (Aug. 21, 2026). The successful outcome is described in Supreme Court of Maryland Denies Cert Petition in Guthrie v. Vincenti – Rifkin Weiner Livingston LLC (Aug. 21, 2026).

For coverage in today’s Baltimore Sun, see Racquel Bazos, Maryland Supreme Court won’t hear Guthrie’s case to restore council seat.  After reporting the statement by Mr. Guthrie’s attorney, the article states:

Vincenti’s representatives disputed that claim, saying the law is clear.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Gansler continues to perpetuate an interpretation of the law that is baseless. Every judge from the trial court to the Appellate Court to the Maryland Supreme Court twice has reached the same conclusion, and that conclusion is directly contrary to Mr. Gansler‘s statement,” said Michael Berman, one of Vincenti’s attorneys, on behalf of the firm Rifkin Weiner Livingston.

“The applicable Maryland constitutional provision, which we call the clean government clause, is unambiguous and was properly applied by the courts at every level,” he said.

For prior blogs discussing my oral argument and earlier rulings, please see

• Oral Argument in the Appellate Court of Maryland in Guthrie v. Vincenti (Feb. 1, 2026);
• Appellate Court of Maryland Decision in Guthrie v. Vincenti (May 6, 2026).