- Arrest Records
- Judgments
- Bankruptcies
- DUIs & DWIs
- Felonies
- Warrants
- Jail Records
- Lien Records
- Sex Offenses
- Misdemeanors
- Criminal Records
- Federal Dockets
What are Maryland Court Records?
Court records cover countless aspects of the judicial process, including initial filings, discovery, evidence, court orders, and much more. Collectively, these documents provide invaluable context for understanding the court's decisions.
Maryland's open records policy includes more explicit exceptions in its open records policy than other states, but most information is available upon request. The goal is to ensure that judicial bodies remain fair by holding everyone involved accountable through public scrutiny.
Court record requests may include any of the following:
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.
The Types of Court Cases
There are two types of court cases: civil and criminal. Both types share many steps in their respective processes but require vastly different standards of proof due to the severity of possible punishments.
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.
What Are the Different Courts in Maryland?
Maryland's Judiciary is a unified state system made up of the Supreme Court of Maryland, the Appellate Court of Maryland, circuit courts and the District Court. Judiciary spending was about $787.5 million in fiscal year 2025, with roughly 90% from the general fund.
| Court Level | Court Name | Jurisdiction | Key Functions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appellate | Supreme Court of Maryland | Statewide; seven justices | Court of last resort; decides select appeals and sets rules of procedure and attorney discipline. |
| Appellate | Appellate Court of Maryland | Statewide; 15 judges | Reviews most appeals from circuit courts in panels and decides appeals as of right. |
| General Jurisdiction | Circuit Courts | One in each of 23 counties and Baltimore City | Hear serious criminal cases, major civil disputes, family and juvenile matters and appeals from the District Court. |
| Limited Jurisdiction | District Court | Statewide, organized in districts by county | Handles traffic, misdemeanors, landlord-tenant, small claims, civil cases up to a limit and protective orders. |
| Limited Jurisdiction | Orphans' Courts | One in each county and Baltimore City | Handle probate matters such as wills and estates. |
How Many Federal Courts Are In Maryland?
Maryland has one Federal District Court, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. This court has two divisions, one in Baltimore (North) and the other in Greenbelt (South).
There are fifteen active district judges; however, five are senior judges with a reduced caseload. The active district judges were primarily appointed by Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In 2019, President Donald Trump recommended the only Republican appointee.
Federal District Courts answer questions concerning Federal law rather than Maryland law. They also handle cases with a "diversity of citizenship" in which the involved parties have differing nationalities or state citizenship and do not share a common legal doctrine.
Cases appealed from the Maryland Federal District Court rise to the US Supreme Court.
How Many Court Cases Are Filed Each Year in Maryland?
Maryland's circuit and District Courts handled about 1.29 million new cases in 2022, with civil matters, including landlord-tenant cases, accounting for the largest share. The split between civil and small claims is estimated because the state reports them together, and the clearance rate of about 100% is estimated from the Judiciary's published filings and terminations in earlier years.
| Case Type | Annual Filings | % of Total | Common Offense/Subtype | Clearance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic | 334,110 | 26.0% | Payable citations, must-appear violations and DUI | ~98% |
| Criminal | 219,136 | 17.0% | District Court misdemeanors and circuit court felonies | ~101% |
| Civil | ~523,292 | ~40.7% | Landlord-tenant, debt collection, foreclosure and contract disputes | ~100% |
| Small Claims | ~100,000 | ~7.8% | Claims of $5,000 or less filed in District Court | ~100% |
| Domestic Relations | 85,725 | 6.7% | Divorce, custody, child support and domestic violence petitions | ~99% |
| Juvenile | 6,935 | 0.5% | Delinquency and child in need of assistance cases | ~100% |
| Other | ~17,400 | ~1.4% | Peace orders and other miscellaneous matters | ~100% |
| Total | 1,286,598 | 100.0% | — | ~100% |
How Do I Look Up Court Cases in Maryland?
Maryland court records are part of the public record and can be requested through the courthouse where the case was heard. Paper records are viewable free of charge in Maryland, but copy requests will incur a charge.
Going in person is the most effective method of getting a complete court record, as some information is removed from electronic requests.
It is best to supply the clerk with the case number to guarantee the record is found. However, it may be possible to locate the file using the names of the defendant or plaintiff. Using the attorney or judge's information may not work due to the high number of results they're associated with.
Maryland Judiciary Case Search
There are also several online options for Maryland records requests. The most basic option is the Maryland Judiciary Case Search.
This online database provides case summaries. It won't produce copies of the documents but will show general information like the case number, important dates, and the nature of the dispute. Utilizing this service will make it much easier to find records in person.
The Case Search allows most users to find a case with limited information. Users can search by the case number or the names of the parties involved. A relatively thorough advanced search option allows for filtering by the court system, case type, and approximate case date.
Maryland Electronic Courts
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) is open to lawyers and some people involved in a case. It is NOT available for use by the general public. However, requesters interested in reviewing their trial or dispute documents may request MDEC through a court's kiosk.
Accessing Federal Court Records
Federal court records requests can be made to the court clerk or through the PACER service available at public terminals at the Clerk's Office.
Another option available for Maryland Federal records requests is the SmartScan system. This service sends PDF versions of records directly to the provided email and is a fast and inexpensive alternative. The caveat is that SmartScan requires more precise information to locate a record.
Number of Active Judges — State & Federal
Maryland has 308 sitting state judges across its four court levels, plus part-time elected Orphans' Court judges, while the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland has 10 active judges. Trial court counts exclude 2 circuit and 12 District Court vacancies reported at the end of 2025.
| Court | Jurisdiction | Active Judges | Selection Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court of Maryland | Statewide appellate | 7 | Appointed by the Governor with Senate consent, then retention election; 10-year terms |
| Appellate Court of Maryland | Statewide intermediate appellate | 15 | Appointed by the Governor with Senate consent, then retention election; 10-year terms |
| Circuit Courts | General jurisdiction trial courts, 24 jurisdictions | 174 | Appointed by the Governor, then contested election; 15-year terms |
| District Court | Limited jurisdiction trial court, 12 districts | 112 | Appointed by the Governor with Senate confirmation; 10-year terms |
| Orphans' Courts | Probate courts in the counties and Baltimore City | ~66 | Elected, four-year terms, part-time |
| U.S. District Court, District of Maryland | Federal trial court | 10 | Presidential nomination and Senate confirmation, life tenure |
| Total Active Judges | — | ~384 | — |
What Court Records Are Not Available to the Public in Maryland?
Maryland courts seal or omit certain information and records to protect people's privacy or the safety of minors.
For example, information on adoption, juvenile delinquency, and mental health conditions is generally blocked in Maryland. These record types could lead to undue discrimination or danger and aren't necessary to pursue a transparent court system.
Maryland also blocks many financial documents, such as income tax returns or financial statements brought up during spousal or child support.
Offenders may also request the records be removed or hidden under certain circumstances. There are two primary methods for hiding certain records in Maryland, including:
Expungement
Some people may ask the court to expunge their criminal or juvenile records. This requires ALL charges attached to the criminal case to be eligible for expungement. The case must be terminated and all sentences must be completed such as probation or rehabilitation.
Maryland does not expunge minor traffic offenses.
Shielding
Shielding refers to removing a criminal conviction from public record. The process does not remove the conviction from the record but hides it from rudimentary searches. The list of eligible convictions for shielding can be found here.
Average Case Processing Time & Clearance Rates
Processing times in Maryland vary by case type, from weeks for traffic citations to about six months for family cases in the circuit courts. The processing times below are fiscal year 2024 averages, and the clearance rates are estimated.
| Case Type | Court Level | Average Processing Time | Description | Clearance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic & Parking | Limited Jurisdiction | 23–75 days | Must-appear and DUI cases average about 23 days and payable citations about 75, resolved by payment, a single appearance or a short trial. | ~98% |
| Small Claims | Limited Jurisdiction | 73 days | Civil claims of $5,000 or less are heard in District Court, usually after one service and hearing date. | ~100% |
| Misdemeanor Criminal | Limited Jurisdiction | 75 days | Charged and resolved in District Court through plea, trial, dismissal or other disposition. | ~101% |
| Civil Cases | General Jurisdiction | 289 days | General civil cases move through pleadings and discovery and typically end by settlement, dismissal or judgment. | ~100% |
| Domestic Relations | General Jurisdiction | 193 days | Divorce, custody and support cases are resolved by agreement or by a hearing before a judge. | ~98% |
| Felony Criminal | General Jurisdiction | 142 days | Serious criminal cases proceed through indictment or information, pretrial proceedings and then plea, trial or dismissal. | ~98% |