African American business owner files federal civil rights lawsuit against Prince George's County over unlawful business closure

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Maryland – Prince George's County, Maryland is facing a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Cornelius Woods and his company, Collision Towing and Auto Body, LLC, alleging the County's Nuisance Abatement Board (NAB) has been unlawfully shuttering minority-owned businesses through an unconstitutional process that strips citizens of their property rights without due process.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, claims the county's Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE) exploits the NAB's expedited administrative process to harass and intimidate residents with frivolous fines and business closure orders, particularly targeting minority business owners.

According to the complaint, Mr. Woods' successful towing business was abruptly closed in May 2023 after DPIE inspectors filed nuisance complaints over routine code violations like "trash and debris"—allegations that don't meet the legal standard for a "public nuisance" under county law. The forced closure has resulted in the layoff of 11 employees, the loss of major insurance contracts, and the shutdown of a training program for minority youth.

"The NAB has become a rubber stamp for discriminatory code enforcement," said Jordan D. Howlette, attorney for the plaintiffs. "None of its seven members are lawyers or have any specialized legal training, yet they're making quasi-judicial decisions that deprive citizens of their constitutional rights."

The lawsuit alleges the NAB's practices violate the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause, the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, and various state constitutional provisions. It seeks over $6.5 million in damages and declaratory relief to prevent future constitutional violations.

The case highlights what plaintiffs describe as a systemic problem: In 2023 alone, the NAB ordered the immediate closure of approximately 16 businesses throughout the County for code violations that lacked any relation to legitimate public nuisances.

The case is Collision Towing and Auto Body, LLC v. Prince George's County, MD (Case No. 8:24-cv-603), filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.