Case Summary
On March 1, 2022, on behalf of local businessman Randy Richardson, we filed a federal civil rights complaint against Prince George’s County and two County officials seeking $3 million for egregious violations of Richardson's constitutional rights. According to the complaint, Richardson leased 27,768 square feet of commercial space at the Shops at Iverson in Temple Hills, MD in January 2020 (also known as "Iverson Mall"). Richardson planned to open Town Hall Live—a high-end lounge—at the location, and he expended significant amounts of time and resources preparing to do so. However, representatives from Prince George's County Department of Permitting, Inspection and Enforcement (DPIE) intentionally misguided Richardson and took ill-motivated enforcement actions against him in a calculated effort to prevent him from opening Town Hall Live.
DPIE based its decision on the fact that the owners of Iverson Mall did not have a valid Use & Occupancy permit, yet the Agency allowed other large business tenants to open at the mall despite the code deficiency. When Richardson questioned DPIE about the disparate treatment, DPIE officials simply replied with, “it’s above our paygrade.” The complaint alleges that DPIE’s arbitrary and discriminatory actions caused Richardson to sustain substantial financial losses, and forced him to abandon his Town Hall Live effort altogether.
Recent Case Update(s)
Case is currently awaiting a decision from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals following Richardson's challenge to the District Court's order granting Defendants' motion for judgment on the pleadings. Richardson filed his Appellate Brief on June 22, 2023.
Last updated on January 22, 2024.
