(a) Distress for rent is an action at law and shall be brought as provided in this section.
(b) Original jurisdiction in a case of distress for rent is vested exclusively in the District Court regardless of the amount of rent for which distress is brought, notwithstanding any limitation imposed by law on the civil monetary jurisdiction of such court.
(c) An action of distress may be brought only for unpaid rent under a written lease for a term of more than three months, or under a tenancy at will or a periodic tenancy that has continued more than three months.
(d) An action of distress shall be brought in the county where the leased premises lie.
(e) A party to an action of distress brought in the District Court under this section may demand a trial by jury in accordance with Subtitle 6 of this article.
Structure Maryland Statutes
Subtitle 3 - Distress for Rent
Section 8-302 - Action at Law; Jurisdiction; Leases Subject to Distress; Venue
Section 8-303 - Form and Contents of Petition; Service
Section 8-304 - Show-Cause Order
Section 8-306 - Goods Levied On; Exclusions From Levy
Section 8-307 - Exemptions From Levy; Goods Subject to Security Interest
Section 8-308 - Levied Goods in Court
Section 8-309 - Entry Under Levy; Forcible Entry; Time of Levy
Section 8-310 - Removal of Levied Goods; Bond
Section 8-311 - Levy on Goods of Third Person; Finality of Levy; Removal of Excluded Goods
Section 8-312 - Effect of Levy on Title to Goods; Risk of Loss of Levied Goods
Section 8-313 - Expense of Removing Goods; Liability for Removal of Goods Affixed to the Property
Section 8-314 - Answer to Petition; Hearing; Final Order of Sale
Section 8-316 - Bond for Return of Levied Goods; Order to Release Goods
Section 8-317 - Order to Make Forcible Entry After Levy on Goods
Section 8-318 - Notice of Sale
Section 8-319 - Manner of Sale; Removal for Sale
Section 8-321 - Security for Costs
Section 8-323 - Rights of Third Party When Goods Sold Under Distress
Section 8-324 - Termination of Leases; Possession of Premises
Section 8-325 - Deficiency Judgment; Hearing; Exemptions
Section 8-326 - Levy on Goods of Husband and Wife
Section 8-327 - Amendment of Petition or Other Pleading
Section 8-329 - Assignment of Leases; Liability of Assignee
Section 8-330 - Service of Process
Section 8-331 - Stay When Notice Not Received
Section 8-332 - Right to Appeal; Time for Taking; Trial; Stays