Protests And Assembly
Md. Code, Crim. Law § 3-904 — assembling in a manner that disrupts a person's tranquility at home, up to 90 days or $100
At a home. In Maryland, a person may not intentionally assemble with another in a manner that disrupts a person's right to tranquility in the person's home. It is a misdemeanor carrying up to 90 days, a fine of up to $100, or both, and each day of a violation is a separate violation. A circuit court may also enjoin the conduct and award damages, including punitive damages.
- Picketing or assembly in connection with a labor dispute.
- Picketing in a lawful manner of a person's home when it is also the person's sole place of business.
- Holding a meeting or assembly on any premises commonly used for the discussion of subjects of general public interest.
Those are what the home section does not prohibit. In it, the General Assembly declared that picketing before or about residences causes emotional disturbance and distress to the occupants, and that without it full opportunity exists for the exercise of freedom of speech and other constitutional rights.
At a funeral. A person may not knowingly obstruct, hinder, impede or block another person's entry to or exit from a funeral, burial, memorial service or funeral procession; address speech to a person attending one that is likely to incite or produce an imminent breach of the peace; or picket within 500 feet of one in a way targeted at people attending it. A violation is a misdemeanor carrying up to 90 days, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
In a public place. Under the disorderly conduct section, a person may not willfully and without lawful purpose obstruct or hinder the free passage of another in a public place or on a public conveyance, or willfully fail to obey a reasonable and lawful order a law enforcement officer makes to prevent a disturbance to the public peace. Either carries up to 60 days, a fine of up to $500, or both.
The constitutional rights of speech and assembly, permits for marches, and the rules for particular public places are not on this page. Whether a particular order was lawful, or a particular gathering crossed one of these lines, is a question of fact and law for a licensed Maryland attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- Md. Code, Crim. Law § 3-904 — Assembling in a manner that disrupts tranquility in a home
- Md. Code, Crim. Law § 10-205 — Obstructing or picketing a funeral, burial or memorial service
- Md. Code, Crim. Law § 10-201 — Disorderly conduct
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maryland attorney.