The order re-enforces a decision already made last week by the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to stay the licenses awarded on June 12 after the chairman said they discovered "potential inconsistency in the tabulation of scoring data." Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson on Friday issued a temporary restraining order, staying the licenses until the issue regarding the scoring data is resolved.
Alabama Always and Hornet Medicinals, two companies that applied for the five integrated "seed to sale" licenses, have sued the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission arguing there were problems with the process for awarding licenses. A lawyer for Alabama Always argued in court filing that the commission used anonymous graders hired by the University of South Alabama to score applications and then awarded them without any discussion on June 12.
Somerville told reporters that the company disagreed with how it was scored, particularly on finances, noting the company had already invested US$4.5 million on a cultivation facility. The company wrote in court filings that it is prepared to open and stock stores with medical marijuana by January if not sooner.
The commission has not elaborated on the problems with the scoring other than to say there were potential inconsistencies.