Maryland County Commissioners Section 149

      The signing of any petition presented to the county commissioners for opening, altering or closing a public road shall not make any petitioner liable for the payment of any part of the damages adjudged by the county commissioners; but the county commissioners may, in their discretion, give judgment against the petitioners for the cost incurred by any person defending against the claim of the petitioners, when the case shall be decided in favor of such defendant; and the petitioners as aforesaid shall at all times be held responsible for and shall pay to the several persons entitled to receive the same all costs and expenses of every kind incurred by and through any proceedings held and taken in accordance with the provisions of this article, in relation to public roads, whenever the county commissioners shall refuse to order the opening, altering or closing of the road as petitioned for.