Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County was established in 1706 and named in honor of Anne, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. The county's land area is approximately 372 square miles, while its population is 50,316. Its county seat is Centreville, and Stevensville is the largest community.
The Queen Anne's County justice system comprises the Circuit, District, and Orphans Courts. Being the general jurisdiction court, the Circuit Court decides all major civil and criminal cases in Queen Anne's County. These include felony trials, civil disputes for more than $30,000, juvenile matters, family law cases, and all other trials involving juries. The Circuit Court in Queen Anne's County has appellate authority to hear and modify the District Court judgments.
Queen Anne's County has a District Court that presides over minor court cases such as misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and civil actions involving up to $30,000 in financial settlements. Housing agreement disputes and other replevin cases are heard at the District Court. Meanwhile, the county's Orphans' Court handles all probate cases, including wills, trusts, contested estates, conservatorships, and guardianships.
In Queen Anne's County, the Clerk of Court maintains and distributes the following court documents to the public:
- Criminal court records
- Probate records
- Land records
- Civil records
- Domestic relations records
Each of these records contains case filings, names of involved parties, dockets, trial transcripts, court orders, judgments, and other information regarding the county's judicial processes. According to the Maryland Public Information Act, court records created in Queen Anne's County should be publicly accessible except juvenile, mental health, adoption, medical, and sealed court records. Individuals interested in confidential court records must obtain special permissions from the county courts. Afterward, they can send written requests to the clerk in person at:
Queen Anne's County Circuit Court
200 North Commerce Street
Centreville, MD 21617
Phone: (410) 758-1773
Note that court documents from the Clerk's Office typically cost $0.50 per page and $5 for certified copies. Members of the public can access Queen Anne's County public court records online through Maryland Judiciary Case Search. Users can perform case number or party name searches on the state's database.
