Greenbelt, MD — A Maryland auto body and towing company that sued Prince George’s County after being temporarily shut down for alleged nuisance violations has lost its case in federal court, with a judge granting summary judgment to the County on all claims.
Collision Towing & Auto Body, LLC, and its former owner Cornelius Woods filed the civil rights lawsuit in March, claiming the County violated their Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by closing the business through the Nuisance Abatement Board (NAB) without just compensation or equal treatment under the law. But in a ruling issued this week, the court determined the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate any constitutional violation.
The dispute centers around actions taken by the NAB, a County administrative board empowered to investigate and rule on nuisance complaints involving disorderly or dangerous commercial activity. The County alleged that the business, located in Prince George’s County, repeatedly created conditions that disturbed the public peace.
According to the court’s opinion, the plaintiffs focused on alleged procedural errors in how the NAB handled the complaint. They argued the Board failed to follow its own internal policies and improperly reached its decision, which led to the business’s closure. However, the judge noted that the lawsuit did not include a claim for procedural due process—only claims for constitutional takings, substantive due process, and equal protection.
The court found that while the plaintiffs identified concerning irregularities in the County’s process, these were not sufficient to support a takings claim under the Fifth Amendment or to prove discriminatory treatment. The judge emphasized that the appropriate remedy would have been an appeal in Maryland Circuit Court, which the plaintiffs failed to pursue.
Furthermore, the judge held that temporary government closures based on nuisance law enforcement, particularly when part of public safety efforts, do not automatically entitle affected businesses to compensation.
With no remaining issues of material fact, the court entered judgment in favor of the County, ending the case.
Key Points
- A Maryland towing company lost its federal lawsuit over a County-ordered closure stemming from nuisance violations.
- The court ruled the plaintiffs failed to show a constitutional violation or unequal treatment.
- The proper remedy would have been a state-level appeal, which the plaintiffs did not pursue.
A towing company that cried foul after a nuisance shutdown got no traction in federal court.
