Anne Arundel County restaurants won't have to shut down indoor dining after all — at least for now. A prohibition on indoor restaurant dining that was slated to start at 5 p.m. Wednesday has been put on hold by a local judge, according to the attorney representing four restaurant owners who challenged the ban. Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge William C. Mulford issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday afternoon on a portion of County Executive Steuart Pittman's recent executive order, which was announced last week. The restraining order applies only to the executive order's rules involving food service, including a decision to shut down indoor dining. With the ruling, county restaurants will be allowed to continue serving patrons at 25% capacity indoors for at least the next 12 days. An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 28 to determine whether the injunction will continue, said Ed Hartman, an attorney representing the four restaurants contesting the executive order.

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