Cities Service Co. v. Governor

In Maryland, producers or refiners of petroleum products are generally prohibited from operating retail gasoline service stations with their own personnel or with a subsidiary company. In 1979, the Maryland Legislature enacted two exceptions to this prohibition, one of which, it is claimed, in practical effect allows only one producer and refiner of petroleum products (the Mobil Corporation) to continue operating retail gasoline service stations through one of its wholly owned subsidiaries (Montgomery Ward & Co., Inc.). The principal questions in this case are whether that exception…