RSRM is proud to congratulate Tara A. Barnes and Audreina J. Blanding on a significant appellate victory before the Appellate Court of Maryland!

        The appeal arose from a wrongful death action in which the plaintiffs sought to hold a company vicariously liable for a fatal collision allegedly caused by its employee while he was driving his personal vehicle en route to work. The Circuit Court for Howard County entered summary judgment in the company’s favor. The plaintiffs and the defendant-employee pursued parallel appeals challenging that ruling. In July 2026, the Appellate Court of Maryland affirmed the judgment in the company’s favor, concluding that the circumstances did not justify departing from Maryland’s longstanding rule that an employer generally is not vicariously liable for an employee’s negligence while commuting to work.

        On appeal, RSRM defended the judgment through two comprehensive appellate briefs authored by Audreina, addressing the distinct arguments raised each of the parallel appeals. Among other issues, the briefs demonstrated that the record did not support the application of Maryland’s “special circumstances” exception. The briefs also aggressively countered the appellants’ efforts to persuade the Appellate Court to adopt a new doctrine that would displace Maryland’s established legal framework and, alternatively, explained why the facts would not satisfy the new doctrine even if it applied.

        Following the extensive briefing, Tara presented a compelling oral argument before the Appellate Court, skillfully defending the trial court’s ruling and the position that the evidence could not transform an ordinary commute into conduct within the scope of employment. The Appellate Court openly agreed with Ms. Barnes' arguments and rejected the appellants' joint-effort to apply a new doctrine to the circumstances presented. The Court sided with Ms. Barnes, concluding that even if the new doctrine could apply, the evidence in this case did not support a finding in favor of the plaintiffs or defendant-employee. 

        This was outstanding appellate victory for Tara, Audreina, and RSRM, and a testament to the meticulous written and oral advocacy that carried the case from summary judgment through a complete affirmance on appeal!