Power of Circuit Court judge at issue in St. Joseph stent case

Maryland's Court of Appeals is being asked to rule that a Baltimore County Circuit Court judge overstepped his authority when he overturned a trial judge's decision about how best to handle litigation against St. Joseph Medical Center Inc. and cardiologist Mark G. Midei for allegedly giving patients unnecessary stents, the Maryland Daily Record reported.

The scandal brought about the near-bankruptcy of the hospital, which has now been taken over by the University of Maryland Medical System.