Maryland Court Records

Maryland Court Record Lookup

Maryland MD court records are important to accomplishing many tasks from collecting judgments to claiming inheritances, from proving one’s innocence to establishing Maryland child support and custody. Records can be obtained by performing a Maryland court records search. Court records include information about Maryland criminal records, civil and traffic court cases, warrants and more.

Orphan’s Courts

Called probate courts in other states, Maryland’s Orphan Courts decide heirship of estates when a property owner dies. The mentioned Maryland courthouses may also establish guardians for minors.

District Courts

Located in each county, Maryland’s district courts do not conduct jury trials. These courts have jurisdiction over misdemeanors, traffic violations, small claims cases under $5,000 in value, domestic violence charges and restraining orders. In addition, these courts hear criminal cases punishable by up to three years in prison.

District courts saw about 1.6 million cases filed in a recent year. In order to view them conduct a Maryland court record lookup online.

Circuit Courts

Family law is handled at the circuit court level, located in each of the state’s 23 counties. These courts also have jurisdiction over major civil and criminal cases as well as take appeals of district court, orphan’s court, and state administrative agency decisions.

Many circuit courts have instituted drug courts to divert nonviolent offenders from the mainstream legal system and to provide other forms of help for addiction.

Circuit courts saw about 89,000 family cases, 20,000 juvenile, and 67,000 criminal cases filed in a recent year. Everyone can view Maryland court records online.

Appellate Court

The state Court of Special Appeals uses panels of three judges to review disputed decisions of cases heard in the lower courts. This court may also review any decree, decision, order, or other action taken by circuit, district, or orphan’s courts.

At the top of Maryland’s judiciary is the Court of Appeals, which automatically hears any death sentence case, legislative redistricting, and the removal of officers of specific agencies. It may also take “interlocutory” questions that request advice on pending cases in lower courts. The court reviews cases from lower courts as it deems necessary.

Federal Courts

Each state has at least one U.S. District Court, which is a federal court with jurisdiction over bankruptcies, violations of federal law, class action lawsuits, and cases that involve multiple states, which can be obtained via Maryland court case lookup.

Maryland Notable Court Cases

When a 17-year-old high school student was killed in a drunk driving accident after leaving a party at which an adult knew he and the driver of the vehicle had been drinking, his mother sued the other parent. A circuit court threw out the suit, saying the responsibility for drinking fell on the individuals who imbibed, not the adult who was home when they were drinking. But in 2016 the Court of Appeals decided that adults may serve alcohol to their own children at home but may not serve or allow minors from other families to drink in their homes. Saying that a minor does not know what effects alcohol may have and is therefore unable to make an informed decision about drinking, the case opens parents to civil suits from families of children harmed at or after parties. There is also the possibility of jail time for parents following passage of a new law on the matter.

A convicted murderer will be allowed an appeal after a popular podcast highlighted his case. Adnan Syed, who was convicted of the 1999 killing of his high school girlfriend, claims that his defense attorney was ineffective. His case was broadcast on a popular podcast show in 2016. A classmate claims she was talking to Syed at the library when his girlfriend was being killed, providing an alibi that was not part of his original defense. The state prosecutor sought to squelch a request to move his appeal to circuit court so that the classmate's new testimony may be considered. The special appeals court denied the state's request, so the request to move the case to circuit court can be considered – but no new trial has been approved yet.