Sec. 33-15. Judicial review and enforcement.

Any aggrieved merit system employee, or applicant, or the chief administrative officer may obtain judicial review of a merit system protection board order or decision from the circuit court for the county in the manner prescribed under Chapter 200 of Title 7 of the Maryland Rules of Procedure. In addition, with respect to orders or opinions relating to personnel of Montgomery County fire and rescue corporations, the independent fire and rescue corporation affected by the merit system protection board order, as well as any aggrieved fire and rescue corporation employee, may obtain judicial review of the board's order or decision as provided in this section.

The court, in hearing the case, shall apply the judicial review standards as set forth in the Maryland Administrative Procedures Act, Subtitle 2 of Title 10 of the State Government Article of the Maryland Code. The court review shall be on the basis of the record before the board. Judicial review of board decisions issued hereunder also includes appellate review by the Court of Special Appeals.

When the chief administrative officer is the party seeking judicial review of a board order or decision in favor of a merit system employee, the county shall be responsible for the employee's legal expenses, including attorneys' fees which result from the judicial review and are determined by the county to be reasonable under the criteria set forth in subsection (c)(9) of section 33-14.

Upon the failure of a party to invoke the judicial review provision of section (a) above or the exhaustion thereof and upon noncompliance with any final decision or order of the board, the board may certify the matter to the county attorney for enforcement. The county attorney shall promptly institute appropriate civil proceedings in the circuit court for Montgomery County to seek enforcement of the decision or order and for any other appropriate relief.