# Maryland Court Narrows DEI Certification Clause

On October 28, 2026, plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed without prejudice their challenge to Executive Order 14398 after the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland interpreted the federal contractor certification clause narrowly. The order remains in effect. For procurement teams, the certification applies to work performed under covered contracts; teaching or research about DEI topics alone is not prohibited. Contractors should review applicable contract clauses and continue to comply with existing antidiscrimination law.

- The dismissal does not vacate or suspend Executive Order 14398, so covered contract terms remain relevant to federal contractors.
- Contractors can focus their review on activities performed under covered contracts; the court’s interpretation distinguishes those activities from teaching or research about DEI topics alone.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 10, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

### Sources
- [DEI Contractor Order Challenge Voluntarily Dismissed](https://natlawreview.com/article/plaintiffs-drop-challenge-federal-contractor-dei-order-following-courts-narrow) - The National Law Review