Houston v. Safeway Stores, Inc.

CHASANOW, Judge.

The question presented in this appeal is whether the Court of Special Appeals erred in affirming the trial court’s entry of a judgment notwithstanding the verdict and in construing Maryland Code (1974, 1995 Repl.Vol.), Courts & Judicial Proceedings Article, § 5-378 (hereinafter “§ 5-378”). We shall address both issues simultaneously, and, for the reasons set forth below, we shall reverse the judgment of the intermediate appellate court.

I

On September 16, 1992, Petitioner, Carrie Houston, was shopping at a Safeway grocery store in Lanham, Maryland. She asked a Safeway employee…