Michael Lewis v. Ronald L. Freeland, Administrator, Maryland Motor Vehicle Administation, et al.

Feb 28, 1997

OUTCOME: Trial Judge determined the Maryland Motorcycle Helmet Law, as written was void for vagueness, unconstitutional, and unenforceable. So, Maryland had no motorcycle helmet law for a year or so. The Trial Judge was reversed on appeal.

Constitutional challenge to the Maryland Motorcycle Helmet Law. We won at a Circuit Court trial and there was no valid helmet law in Maryland for about a year. The State of Maryland was not happy to ... have lost and the State appealed to the Court of Special Appeals. The Court of Appeals noted the significance of the case and took jurisdiction directly. After argument, the Court found a way to hold the law (barely) Constitutional.