The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission was ordered Friday to stop issuing licenses to growers and distributors.
Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson issued a temporary restraining order for two companies suing the commission because they claimed the selection process was flawed.
The commission decided last week to halt awarding licensees on June 12 after members identified a possible inconsistency in the process.
Alabama Always and Hornet Medicinals applied for “seed to sale” licenses. Only five of those are available, and both companies claim they have already invested in the business.
The owners of the companies want details from the commission on their scoring process. They believe anonymous graders were hired from the University of South Alabama and that companies were awarded licenses without commission discussion.
“We think from day one that this process has been cloaked in secrecy,” William Somerville, an attorney for Alabama Always told Anderson during the Friday court hearing.
Anderson said licensing could resume once the tabulation process for scoring companies is acceptable.
There will be a July 13 hearing on a request for a preliminary injunction.
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