Opinion ID: 2329522
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Enjoining the Nuisance

Text: Since the keeping of a bawdyhouse or disorderly house generally constitutes a criminal offense, [5] Jackson v. State, 176 Md. 399, 5 A.2d 282 (1939); Lutz v. State, 167 Md. 12, 172 A. 354 (1934); Rosenberg v. State, 54 Md. App. 673, 681, 460 A.2d 617 (1983); Md. Code (1957, 1982 Repl.Vol.), Art. 27, §§ 15-17, the question arises as to whether an equitable action to abate or enjoin the existence and maintenance of such an establishment may properly be maintained. Appellants contend that their activities cannot be enjoined merely because they may violate bawdyhouse and prostitution laws; [6] that equitable action cannot lie since adequate remedies at law are available. We see it differently. It is a general rule of law that, where the acts complained of constitute a breach of the criminal law, courts of equity will not for that reason alone take jurisdiction to enjoin the further continuance or prevention of threatened illegal acts. In re Debs, 158 U.S. 564, 15 S.Ct. 900, 39 L.Ed. 1092 (1895); Ruark v. Engineer's Union, 157 Md. 576, 146 A. 797 (1929); Dvorine v. Castelberg Corp., 170 Md. 661, 185 A. 562 (1936). Where, however, the enforcement of the criminal law is merely incidental to the general relief sought and the acts complained against constitute a nuisance or a danger to the public health and public welfare and a more complete remedy is afforded by injunction than by criminal prosecution, a court of equity may, on the request of a duly constituted authority, grant the relief sought by the injunction. See, for example, State v. Ficker, 266 Md. 500, 510, 295 A.2d 231 (1972); Clark v. Todd, 192 Md. 487, 492, 64 A.2d 547 (1949); Hamilton v. Whitridge, 11 Md. 128, 69 Am.Dec. 184 (1857); Stead v. Fortner, 255 Ill. 468, 99 N.E. 680, 684 (1912); High on Injunctions (4th ed. 1905), § 752, p. 716. See additionally 5 Pomeroy, Equity Jurisprudence, § 1893, p. 4296 (2d ed. 1919); 66 C.J.S. Nuisances § 110 e; 58 Am.Jur.2d Nuisances §§ 142-43 and discussion therein. [7] We think that the keeping, operation and maintenance of a bawdyhouse constitutes such a public nuisance whereby equity jurisdiction would lie to grant appropriate relief. In Hamilton, 11 Md. 128, 69 Am.Dec. 184 (1857), the plaintiffs sought to enjoin Margaret Hamilton from occupying and using a recently purchased house as a bordello. She had been thrice convicted of keeping a bawdyhouse in the years 1854 and 1855. In affirming the continuance of the injunction granted at trial, this Court stated: We are constrained ... to consider the appellant as a person about to open the premises as a house of ill-fame, and the prominent question for decision is, whether the jurisdiction of courts of equity embraces the prohibition of such public nuisances, where the complaint is, that they will, by reason of their close proximity, deprive other persons of the comfortable enjoyment of their property, and greatly depreciate and lessen its value.       Although at law, the remedy in respect to public nuisances is by indictment, and in respect to private ones, by action at the instance of the person injured, yet, in the common law tribunals, redress may be had for damage resulting from public as well as private nuisances. These remedies can only abate or afford compensation for an existing nuisance, and are ineffectual to restrain or prevent such as are threatened or in progress. Hence there is a jurisdiction in equity to enjoin, whenever the nature of the inquiry is such that it cannot be adequately compensated by damages, or from its continuance or permanent mischief, will occasion a constantly recurring grievance. And as a party injured by a public nuisance may have his action at law for damages thereby sustained, so he may apply for an injunction to prevent such nuisances, if its existence will cause a substantial prejudice to his property, or the reasonable enjoyment thereof. Id. at 144-46, 69 Am.Dec. 184 (citations omitted). See City of Bowie v. County Comm'rs, 260 Md. 116, 128, 271 A.2d 657 (1970). In keeping with what our predecessors said in Hamilton, we believe that the operation of a bawdyhouse constitutes a public nuisance whereby equity jurisdiction would lie to afford a more complete remedy than is obtainable by law. Accordingly, the trial court had jurisdiction to consider the Bill of Complaint for Injunctive Relief.