(a) The Commission may:
(1) compel the attendance at a hearing of witnesses and parties, administer oaths, take the testimony of any person under oath and, in connection with any dispute, require the production of any relevant evidence; and
(2) issue summonses to compel the attendance of witnesses and parties and the production of documents, records and other evidence in any matter to which this Article applies.
(b) If any person does not comply with any summons issued under this Article to compel the attendance of persons or the production of documents, records or other evidence in any matter to which this Article applies, the County Attorney, on behalf of the Commission, may enforce the summons in a court with jurisdiction. Failure to comply with a Commission summons is also a class A violation.
(c) Any court with jurisdiction may, on request of the Commission, in accordance with state law and the Maryland Rules of Procedure:
(1) require compliance with a summons;
(2) require the attendance of a named person before the Commission at a specified time and place;
(3) require the production of records, documents, or other evidence;
(4) require the transfer of custody of records, documents, or other evidence to the court; or
(5) prohibit the destruction of any records, documents, or other evidence until a lawful investigation by the Commission is ended.
(d) A court may punish any disobedience of any order entered under this Section as a contempt of court. (1990 L.M.C., ch. 33, § 1; 1994 L.M.C., ch. 9, § 1.)