Anne Arundel County Court Records
The legal structure in Anne Arundel County addresses crucial elements concerning court records and their availability to the public, thereby promoting transparency and fairness within the state's legal system. Rule 16-901 of the Maryland Rules defines a court record as an administrative record, business license record, case record, or notice record. Generally, a court record is a document or information relating to a judicial proceeding or action collected, received, or maintained by an Anne Arundel County court.
According to Maryland Rules, the Clerk of Court is the official custodian of court records. The Clerk is authorized to have physical custody and control of a court record. The content of a court record helps judges and legal practitioners to make informed decisions and arguments. They also provide a way to verify legal proceedings, ensuring that due process is upheld. Since Anne Arundel County Public Records encompass the county's court records, they are made accessible to the public unless otherwise determined by a judicial order.
Are Court Records Public in Anne Arundel County?
Yes. Accessibility of court records is governed by Maryland's Public Information Act (MPIA). While the MPIA ensures openness in accessing court documents, there are instances where certain records may contain information that poses risks to individuals' safety, jeopardizes ongoing legal proceedings, or violates personal privacy. Consequently, some categories of records are excluded from public access to address these concerns. Such records include:
- Court records concerning child abuse or neglect and attorney grievance matters
- Case records concerning an investigative subpoena issued by Bar Counsel.
- A case record that has been ordered expunged pursuant.
- A case record about an arrest warrant issued under Rule 4-212 (d) and the charging document upon which the warrant was issued.
- Backup audio recordings made by any means, computer disks, and notes of a court reporter that are in the possession of the court reporter and have not been filed with the Clerk.
- Court records involving children, such as adoption records, guardianship records, or revocation of a consent to adoption or guardianship for which there is no pending adoption or guardianship proceeding in that county.
What Do Anne Arundel County Court Records Contain?
The court records within Monmouth County function as comprehensive archives that house information relevant to legal proceedings occurring within its jurisdiction. These records encompass a wide array of details, including but not limited to:
- Case information (court system, location, case number, type, title, and status, filing date, violation date and county, agency name, and officer ID and name)
- Parties information (names, address, city, state, zip code, race, sex, height, weight, date of birth, aliases, and information on attorneys involved in the case)
- Arresting officer information (name, agency name, address, city, state, and zip code)
- Charge and disposition information (charge number, statute code, charge description, judge's name, disposition date, charge, mandatory court appearance, plea, and sentence date and time)
- Bond setting information (bail date, setting type, ad amount)
- Document information (file date, document name, and comment)
- Event history information (event, date, and comment)
- Court scheduling information (event type, date, and time, judge's name, court location, and room, and result)
- Judgment information (case disposition history, judgment event type, and judge)
- Service information (service type and issue date)
Where to Conduct an Anne Arundel County Case Lookup
Individuals can conduct an Anne Arundel County case lookup at the following locations:
- The Supreme Court of Maryland
- The Appellate Court of Maryland
- Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County
- District Court of Maryland for Anne Arundel County (located in Annapolis)
- District Court of Maryland for Anne Arundel County (located in Glen Burnie)
How to Conduct an Anne Arundel County Case Records Search
The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County maintains custody of various court records encompassing a range of cases. These records are generally available for public examination at the Clerk's office. The office is open from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The Clerk's office is located at:
Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County
8 Church Circle,
Annapolis, MD 21401
Email: AAClerkadmin@mdcourts.gov
To facilitate the retrieval of a specific court record, it's recommended to furnish the Clerk with the corresponding case number. If the case number is not readily accessible, the Clerk may offer assistance in locating the desired file by utilizing the names of the involved individuals. When individuals require duplicate documents in the file, a nominal fee is applicable for the requested copies. The cost for these copies is typically $0.50 per page. Phone requests can be made by calling the Clerk's office between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at (410) 222-1397.
Alternatively, individuals can find court case records online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search tool. A search can be conducted by name or case number. Once the search is initiated successfully, users can conveniently review the case record, enabling them to locate the precise details they are seeking.
Anne Arundel County Civil Court Case Records
Civil case records in Anne Arundel County are maintained and accessible through the District and Circuit Courts. These records document legal proceedings and actions related to civil matters, including disputes between individuals, organizations, or entities that do not involve criminal charges. The Anne Arundel County District Courts hear replevin actions, landlord/tenant cases, and civil cases where the amount in controversy does not exceed $30,000.
The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Family and Civil Department handles all cases that are not criminal or juvenile, like auto negligence, divorce, breach of contract, custody, child support, civil appeals, name changes, complaint for visitation, and medical malpractice. The Civil Department has a File Room where individuals can find civil case records. A case number is required to request the court file. Copies of a civil case record cost $0.50 per page. In-person requests should be made between 8:30 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Phone requests can be made by calling (410) 222-1431. Record seekers can search cases from Circuit Court and District Court online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search feature. The search criteria are by name or case number.
Anne Arundel County Criminal Court Case Records
Anne Arundel County maintains criminal case records through its District and Circuit Courts. These records document legal proceedings and actions related to criminal offenses within the county. The District Court hears traffic violations, criminal cases like misdemeanors, and certain felonies. The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Criminal Department handles various criminal cases. A criminal court case record search can be done online, by phone, or in person at the Criminal Department. Phone requesters must call (410) 222-1420 and be able to provide a case number for the search. In-person and phone requests should be made from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Record seekers can get court records online for free via the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal. Here is how to use this search tool:
- Visit the official website of Maryland Courts.
- Navigate to the top bar and click the "E-Services" option
- Select the "Case Search" link from the drop-down menu. Clicking this step naturally leads to a "Disclaimer" page, where users must click "Agree" before proceeding.
- Agreeing to the disclaimer launches the inquiry page.
- Conduct a search by name or case number
Courts in Anne Arundel County
Here is a list of key courts in Anne Arundel County, along with their respective addresses and contact details:
Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County
8 Church Cir,
Annapolis, MD 21401,
Phone: (410) 222-1397
District Court of Maryland - Annapolis
Address: 251 Rowe Blvd,
Annapolis, MD 21401,
Phone: (410) 260-1370
District Court of Maryland - Glen Burnie
Address: 7500 Ritchie Hwy,
Glen Burnie, MD 21061,
Phone: (410) 260-1215
