Mark J. Belton initiated a civil lawsuit against the Charles County Board of Commissioners and its members in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland on December 11, 2025. The case, assigned number 8:25-cv-04085-PX and presided over by Judge Paula Xinis, involves Belton as plaintiff seeking unspecified relief from the board, also known as the County Commissioners for Charles County, Maryland. Summonses were issued on December 12, 2025, directing the defendants to respond within 21 days or face potential default judgment.
The defendants named in the summonses include the Charles County Board of Commissioners, Thomasina O. Coates, Reuben B. Collins II, Gilbert O. Bowling III, Amanda M. Stewart, and Ralph E. Patterson II, all addressed at 200 Baltimore Street in La Plata. Belton’s legal representation comes from Joseph T. Mallon Jr. and Marshall N. Perkins of Mallon LLC in Baltimore. Court records indicate the summonses reference an attached complaint, though details of the specific claims remain undisclosed in public docket entries as of December 22, 2025. Federal procedures under Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require defendants to file an answer or motion, with service on the plaintiff’s attorneys.
This filing follows years of litigation stemming from Belton’s role as Charles County administrator, a position he held starting in 2020. Belton, previously Maryland’s Secretary of Natural Resources from 2015 to 2019, was appointed to oversee county operations, including budget management and department coordination. In June 2019, Belton submitted a personnel complaint to the county’s human resources department, alleging a pattern of discriminatory conduct by one commissioner. An independent investigation, conducted by attorney Bernadette Sargeant of Stinson LLP, reviewed over 137 documents and interviewed seven individuals, including Belton and the sitting commissioners at the time.
The investigation’s May 25, 2020, report substantiated Belton’s allegations while dismissing counterclaims of bias against him. On June 2, 2020, during a closed session, the board voted 4-1 to adopt prompt and remedial action, restricting the implicated commissioner—identified in subsequent court documents as Thomasina O. Coates—from participating in any employment decisions related to Belton. The board also amended its rules of procedure to prohibit intimidating workplace behaviors among commissioners and toward employees.
Tensions escalated in December 2022 when Coates, along with Commissioners Reuben B. Collins II and Ralph E. Patterson II, attempted to vote on Belton’s termination during a closed session. Commissioners Amanda M. Stewart and Gilbert O. Bowling III objected, citing the 2020 restrictions. On December 30, 2022, Stewart and Bowling, with board approval, filed a state lawsuit in the Circuit Court for Charles County to enforce the prompt and remedial action through declaratory judgment and injunction. Belton intervened as a plaintiff on January 9, 2023.
The circuit court granted a permanent injunction on October 17, 2023, barring Coates from involvement in Belton’s employment matters. This decision affirmed the board’s authority under Maryland’s code home rule system, where Charles County is governed by five at-large elected commissioners serving four-year terms. The injunction aimed to mitigate risks of further litigation against the county. Coates appealed, but the Appellate Court of Maryland upheld the ruling in a 65-page opinion on June 30, 2025, authored by Judge Douglas R. M. Nazarian. The court classified Belton as a protected employee under federal anti-discrimination laws, applying tests from cases like Stillians v. State of Iowa, and rejected arguments on separation of powers and First Amendment violations local event report.
Coates petitioned the Maryland Supreme Court for review on August 18, 2025, challenging the board’s authority and the injunction’s scope. The supreme court declined to hear the case on October 29, 2025, finalizing the state proceedings. Legal fees for the county in this matter totaled $1,572,005.90 as of November 2025, covered by taxpayer funds.
Amid the dispute, Belton was placed on administrative leave starting at least June 2023. Payroll records show he received $390,878.51 from June 2, 2023, to October 18, 2024, based on his annual salary of $235,244 at the time. His current employment status remains confidential under county personnel policies, with no public comments from the board on resolution details.
Charles County’s code home rule, established under Maryland Local Government Article Section 10-303, empowers the board to manage internal affairs, including personnel policies. This framework has been central to the legal battles, highlighting governance procedures in a county where commissioners handle executive and legislative functions. Federal civil actions like Belton’s typically proceed through discovery, motions, and potential trial, governed by rules ensuring timely responses to prevent default.
The prior state case emphasized the board’s role in addressing workplace complaints to avoid liability under laws protecting against discrimination. Investigations like Sargeant’s follow standard protocols, involving document review and interviews to assess claims objectively. In Maryland, such personnel matters often remain closed to maintain confidentiality, as seen in the 2020 session.
This federal filing marks a new phase in the ongoing conflict, shifting venue to address potential civil rights claims. Court dockets will update as defendants respond, with proceedings accessible via public records systems.