Prince George's County v. Fahey

³¹³ Gilbert, J., delivered the opinion of the Court. Under date of July 19, 1973, Deputy Sheriff John Fahey, appellee-cross appellant, received a letter from Don Edward Ansell, Sheriff of Prince George’s County, Maryland, in which Fahey was apprised that: “You are hereby advised as your Department Head I am considering your dismissal from this department for violation of Merit System Ordinance Section 13-101 -#l-Unsatisfactory Performance and Section 13-101-#10-Any immoral or unethical conduct which reflects unfavorably on the County as an employer, to wit: On July 17, 1973 at approximately 10:10 P.M. you did respond to 5021-26th Ave., Hillcrest Heights, Md. where you arrived at the scene at approximately 10:10 P.M. Upon arrival at the scene you did approach one Joseph Bodecker, asked him his name and asked him to get out of his vehicle. When he leaned toward the glove box compartment you did, without provocation, pull and point your firearm at Mr. Bodecker and threaten his life. You did then, illegally, search the person of Mr. Bodecker and discover what you referred to as an illegal weapon and failed to place charges as a result of this illegal weapon.

You then released Mr. Bodecker from your custody.” Within the time prescribed Fahey answered, in writing, the charges. It is enough to know that Fahey’s answer was exculpatory in nature. The sheriff, however, was apparently unsatisfied by Fahey’s response, and on July 30, 1973, informed Fahey: “I have reached a final decision and you are hereby advised that your employment with this department is terminated at the close of business July 30, 1973.” Prince George’s County has adopted a Personnel Ordinance designated as Chapter 13 of the Prince George’s ³¹⁴ County Code of Ordinances and Resolutions. Section 13-102 of the Personnel Ordinance provides that a party aggrieved by disciplinary action may appeal to the Merit Board which shall conduct a hearing and make a final determination.

Fahey appealed to the Merit Board. 1 The Board conducted a hearing with respect to Fahey, and on October 22, 1973, handed down its decision and “Findings of Fact.” The Board determined that the charges leveled in the Sheriffs letter to Fahey on July 19, 1973, were “supported in fact and evidence presented to the Board.” The Board further ascertained that while the disciplinary action was “severe in this case” that, nevertheless, when considered with the “severity of [the] offense” the Sheriffs discretionary authority had not been abused. As he was permitted to do under 1 Prince George’s County Ordinances and Resolutions § 13-103 (1968), Fahey appealed to the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. There Judge Joseph A. Mattingly reversed the action of the Board on the ground that the evidence did not support the finding of the Board. He also ordered the payment to Fahey of one-half of the sum of wages that Fahey would have earned had his employment not been terminated.

Displeased with Judge Mattingly’s ruling, the County noted an appeal to this Court, asseverating that the hearing judge ignored the substantial evidence that supported the Merit Board’s findings, and that the court had substituted its judgment for that of the Board. Fahey filed a cross appeal in which he claimed that he was entitled to all of his lost wages, not merely one-half. Fahey further moved to dismiss the County’s appeal on the ground that no such appeal is sanctioned by 1 Prince George’s County Code of Ordinances and Resolutions, Ch. 13, and, therefore, under Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article § 12-302 the matter is not properly appealable. ³¹⁵ Section 13-103 of the Prince George’s County Code of Ordinances and Resolutions provides: “(a) Appeals to the circuit court shall be taken in the manner prescribed under Rule B of the Maryland Rules of Procedure. (b) Additional evidence may be presented if written application by a petition to show cause is made to the court before the date set for hearing for leave to present additional evidence on the issues in the case either by the party appealing or any party in interest.

And if it is shown to the satisfaction of the court, after a hearing thereon, that the additional evidence is material and that there were good reasons for failure to present it in the proceedings before the merit board, the court shall order that the additional evidence be taken before the merit board for the taking of