— Maryland police cannot stop someone based only on seeing or suspecting a concealed handgun, the Appellate Court of Maryland ruled in a reported in banc opinion that could significantly affect firearm-related stops across the state.
The June 4, 2026, ruling reversed the Baltimore City conviction of Steven Hicks, who was stopped by police in 2023 after officers observed what they believed was a handgun printing through his shirt. Officers later recovered two handguns and cocaine during a warrantless stop and search.
Writing for the court, Judge Deborah S. Graeff concluded that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen changed the legal landscape by recognizing a constitutional right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home…