Cal. Civ. Code § 8-116
Md. Code Ann., Real Property Art. Title 8 — Landlord and Tenant
Operative Text
(a) If tobacco is grown on leased property and the tenant fails to make reasonable progress within six months from September 1 to strip and place the tobacco on the market, the landlord may strip, pack, ship, and sell at the tenant’s expense any time after March 1, tobacco grown on the leased premises by the tenant in any previous year. All expenses paid by the landlord in the stripping, packing, shipment, or sale shall be a first and prior lien on the tobacco and the proceeds of the sale, notwithstanding any other agreement or obligation of the tenant or provision of law. (b) A tenant or the tenant’s agent, who interferes, directly or indirectly with the stripping, packing, shipment, or sale of tobacco by the landlord, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to a fine of not less than $100 or by imprisonment for not less than 90 days nor more than six months, or both.
Maryland Real Property § 8-116 addresses a narrow agricultural scenario involving tobacco grown on leased land. If a tenant has not made reasonable progress in stripping and marketing tobacco within six months of September 1, the landlord is permitted—after March 1—to step in and handle the stripping, packing, shipping, and sale at the tenant's cost. Any expenses the landlord incurs in doing so become a first-priority lien on the tobacco and its sale proceeds, and a tenant or agent who interferes with that process commits a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of at least $100, imprisonment of 90 days to six months, or both.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-116, landlords who lease property for tobacco cultivation have a defined remedy when a tenant fails to make reasonable marketing progress by the six-month window following September 1. A compliant operator who exercises this remedy generally documents the tenant's lack of progress before March 1, tracks all costs associated with stripping, packing, shipping, and sale, and preserves records establishing the first-priority lien on the tobacco proceeds. Landlords operating in this space typically consult with an agricultural attorney familiar with Maryland real property law before exercising these rights to ensure procedural requirements are met.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-116 sets out specific obligations and risks for tenants growing tobacco on leased land in Maryland. Tenants who believe a landlord is improperly invoking this provision—for example, before the March 1 date or without a genuine failure to make reasonable progress—may have grounds to contest the landlord's actions, and tenant-rights or agricultural legal aid organizations can help evaluate those circumstances. Because interference with a landlord's lawful exercise of rights under § 8-116 carries criminal misdemeanor exposure, tenants facing this situation generally benefit from understanding the provision's timeline and conditions before taking any action.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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