2013 Maryland Code
CORPORATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS
§ 9A-1106 - Doing business without registration

(a) Lawsuits. -- If a foreign limited liability partnership is doing or has done any intrastate, interstate, or foreign business in this State without complying with the requirements of this subtitle, the foreign limited liability partnership and any person claiming under it may not maintain suit in any court of this State, unless the foreign limited liability partnership shows to the satisfaction of the court that:

(1) The foreign limited liability partnership or the person claiming under it has paid the penalty specified in subsection (d)(1) of this section; and

(2) (i) The foreign limited liability partnership or a successor to it has complied with the requirements of this subtitle; or

(ii) The foreign limited liability partnership and any foreign limited liability partnership successor to it are no longer doing intrastate, interstate, or foreign business in this State.

(b) Contracts. -- The failure of a foreign limited liability partnership to register in this State does not impair the validity of a contract or act of the foreign limited liability partnership or prevent the foreign limited liability partnership from defending any action, suit, or proceeding in a court of this State.

(c) Department as agent for service of process. -- A foreign limited liability partnership, by doing business in this State without registration, appoints the Department as its agent for service of process with respect to causes of action arising out of doing business in this State.

(d) Penalty. --

(1) (i) If a foreign limited liability partnership does any intrastate, interstate, or foreign business in this State without registering, the Department shall impose a penalty of $ 200 on the foreign limited liability partnership.

(ii) The penalty under this subsection shall be collected and may be reduced or abated under § 14-704 of the Tax - Property Article.

(2) Each member of a foreign limited liability partnership that does intrastate, interstate, or foreign business in this State without registering, and each agent of the foreign limited liability partnership who transacts intrastate, interstate, or foreign business in this State for it is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine of not more than $ 1,000.