‒Unreported Opinion‒
8
At this point in our review, we address the findings of the circuit court and make
our own evaluation of each element required for an MCDCA violation under this
particular subsection and, consequently, the derivative MCPA violation. In so doing, we
consider the sufficiency of the facts proffered by Hawkins in support of her claim.
However, as we have noted, supra, Hawkins’ complaint is devoid of important and
necessary background and procedural facts.
For whatever reason, Hawkins appears to have belatedly attempted to backtrack
and change the legal theory to support her cause of action, or at least change the
perception of her legal theory. Because of the dearth of relevant information, this
approach caused confusion of the issues at hand, namely, what lack of right RMI was
charged with having asserted in alleged violation of the two statutes.
Despite the deficiencies of the complaint, the circuit court undertook an analysis
of the issues and the case law provided by the parties.
The court determined that the
element found lacking was the assertion of the requisite knowledge, either actual or
The parties, as did the circuit court, utilized several federal district court cases in their
arguments and analyses, some of which were unreported decisions. In our review, “we
may consider persuasive the opinions of federal courts[,]” French v. Hines, 182 Md. App.
201, 262 n. 21 (2008), but we “are not obligated to follow the decisions of the lower
federal courts, even as to questions of federal law.” Id. However, even though an
appellate court “may not prohibit a party from citing an unpublished opinion of a federal
court for its persuasive value or any other reason[,]” Kendall v. Howard County, 204 Md.
App. 440, 445 n. 1 (2012), aff'd, 431 Md. 590 (2013), “[u]nreported opinions do not
constitute law, even in the jurisdictions whose courts issued them[.]” Thompson v. UBS
Fin. Services, Inc., 443 Md. 47, 62–63 (2015). As such, “it is the policy of this Court in
its opinions not to cite for persuasive value any unreported federal or state court opinion.”
Wagner v. State, 220 Md. App. 174, 181 n. 12 (2014) (quotation and citation omitted),
aff'd, 445 Md. 404 (2015).