Blackford v. Maryland Automobile Insurance

FRANK A.. KAUFMAN, Chief Judge.

Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, plaintiffs,1 unclassified employees of the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (hereinafter MAIF) until they were “laid off” on July 1, 1976, seek compensatory and punitive damages, challenging their dismissal from their jobs on due process and equal protection grounds. Federal question jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. .§ 1331 is present.

In July 1976, MAIF, finding it necessary to lay off certain employees, selected the employees to be laid off on the basis of merit. In August 1976, plaintiffs instituted administrative proceedings before…