List of Defendants in Maryland’s Pit Bull Lawsuit Expands

A lawsuit over whether or not landlords in Maryland can ban tenants who own pit bulls as pets was expanded this week to name the state’s governor, attorney general and chief appellate judge as defendants, according to court documents.

The lawsuit was filed by residents of a low income neighborhood in Baltimore against Armistead Homes Corp. for allegedly violating tenants’ Constitutional rights when they told residents who own pit pulls that they would have to move or get rid of their dogs. An appeals court judge issued a ruling in favor of Armistead Homes.

This week, the suit was expanded to include Governor Martin O’Malley, state Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler and Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, who the plaintiffs claim have a duty to ensure the laws and the Constitution are upheld.

The plaintiffs allege that each of the high-profile defendants added to the suit failed to uphold the law in allowing the appeals court ruling to stand.