What are Maryland Court Records?

Docket Sheet

Dockets identify plaintiffs, defendants, judges, and attorneys. It also includes a list of documents submitted during the trial and a short description.

Court Orders

Court orders refer to the official responsibilities assigned to parties by the court. They include restraining orders, orders to show cause, and the terms of a final judgment.

Briefs

Legal representatives present written arguments to the court. These outline each side's stance on every claim, motion, order, and pleading throughout the case.

Transcripts

Transcripts are verbatim records of what is said by the court. Maryland courts offer audio CDs, flash drives, and typed transcript versions.

Exhibits

Exhibits are evidence introduced in a legal proceeding. They can take many forms, including documents, emails, photos, videos, or objects.

Jury Restrictions

Jury restrictions are legal rules given to jurors about how to behave and examine a case. These are delivered in both civil and criminal cases and can lead to a decision being overturned if they aren't followed.

Civil Cases

In civil cases, the plaintiff and defendant are private parties. A dispute starts when one side lodges a complaint against the other, and it is typically non-violent.

Some of the most common types of civil cases in Maryland include:

• Personal injury cases
• Contract disputes
• Employment disputes
• Real estate litigation

The goal of a civil case is to justly compensate the victim rather than punish the offender. This paradigm means most disputes are rectified through fines or smaller court orders, such as removing an encroachment or assigning a restraining order.

Imprisonment is not a possible punishment for purely civil cases. This relative levity also means that civil cases require a less severe standard of proof known as the preponderance of evidence. In simple terms, this standard only requires the jury to decide that one side is more likely to be correct.

Lastly, the "right to an attorney" mentioned in the 6th Amendment does not apply to civil cases. The defendant must produce their own legal representation or appear pro se. The only time legal counsel may be required is when incarceration is threatened due to a court-ordered financial obligation.

Criminal Cases

In criminal cases, the government represents "the people" as the plaintiff. The courts decide whether the defendant is a threat to society and what measures would most fairly and effectively mitigate that threat.

The most significant difference between civil and criminal cases is that the latter can lead to incarceration and other severe losses of freedom. However, Maryland outlawed the death penalty in 2013, so that's off the table.

Another distinction is that criminal trials always include a jury unless the defendant requests a bench trial. The right to a trial by jury of your peers is embedded in the 6th Amendment. These jurors must agree unanimously, or a new jury is selected, and the trial is repeated.

Unanimous agreement is challenging because criminal trials require "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt" as the standard of proof. There must be no reasonable explanation for the defendant's innocence.

Maryland Appellate Courts

Maryland keeps two appellate courts. The Supreme Court of Maryland sits at the top of the judiciary, and the Appellate Court of Maryland is directly beneath it. These courts handle appeals originating from the District and Circuit Courts, deciding whether all procedures were followed appropriately.

The Supreme Court has seven justices, one from each of Maryland's appellate circuits. Citizens seeking appeals must file a petition for writ of certiorari, which requests that the Court hear their grievances about a previous case.

However, the Maryland Supreme Court primarily restricts itself to appeals that affect the public interest. This means that cases that only affect an individual must be raised to the Appellate Court of Maryland instead.

As the highest court in the state, the Supreme Court of Maryland also decides on court procedures and handles attorney misconduct.

Several judiciary units are attached to the Supreme Court, including the Attorney Grievance Commission, the Board of Law Examiners, and the Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure.

Maryland Tax Court

The Maryland Tax Court is an appellate court that hears appeals from the state's taxing authorities, including the Comptroller's Office, Property Tax Assessment Appeals Boards, and local collection agencies.

This court has the highest administrative review regarding tax-related controversies and seats five judges appointed by the Governor. It is the highest authority on income tax, sales tax, use tax, and property assessments.

Tax Court decisions may be appealed through the Circuit Courts.

Maryland Specialty Courts

The Maryland Circuit Courts are assisted by three specialty courts designed to rehabilitate or treat non-violent offenders. These courts include:

• Adult Drug Treatment Court
• Family Recovery Court
• Mental Health Court

These courts are also known as problem-solving courts and provide new avenues to protect society without excessive harm to the individual. Verdicts often require frequent drug testing, home visits, therapy, and mandated attendance at rehabilitative programs.

Maryland Circuit Courts

There are twenty-three Maryland Circuit Courts, one in each county, and an additional court dedicated to Baltimore City. These bodies typically handle higher-stakes proceedings involving criminal charges or serious civil cases.

Circuit Courts exercise original jurisdiction in the state of Maryland. Typical civil cases include juvenile law or familial disputes over divorce, child custody, domestic violence, or spousal support.

The Maryland Circuit Courts also act as courts of appeals for all lower courts and specified administrative agencies, such as the Office of Administrative Hearings.

There are a total of 175 Circuit Court judges, but there is no chief judge overseeing each court. Instead, the Supreme Court Chief Justice appoints Circuit Administrative Judges to manage each of Maryland's eight circuits.

Baltimore City Court

The Baltimore City Court has the powers and jurisdiction of a Circuit Court within the city of Baltimore. It was created when the city government split from the county and created a separate court system.

Over the years, the various Baltimore City courts have been combined into one body. Within the city, this court originally possessed similar powers to the Maryland Superior Court (before the Superior Court was absorbed into the City Circuit Courts system, but constitutional provisions have since removed those powers.

Maryland District Courts

Maryland District Courts have limited jurisdiction over misdemeanors and certain felonies. They handle offenses such as vehicle violations, domestic violence, protest petitions, housing disputes, and other small claims cases.

In Maryland, small claims courts have jurisdiction for civil cases with awards not exceeding $5,000. The District Courts may hear cases with more significant amounts but share concurrent jurisdiction with the higher circuit courts.

Criminal cases can be heard in District Courts only if the potential punishment is limited to three years imprisonment with a maximum fine of $2,500.

Maryland Orphans' (Probate) Court

The Orphans' Court is not a juvenile court, nor does it handle placement for children without parents. It is a probate court that presides over estates left by deceased people, with or without a will to follow.

There are three Orphan's Court judges in each of Maryland's counties and Baltimore City. Judges approve decisions made by court representatives regarding the decedent's assets and hold formal hearings for disputes between heirs.