Baltimore County Court Records
A Baltimore County court record is an official record of a legal proceeding that a court clerk or other authorized court personnel maintains (Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings, §3–1510). A court clerk is the primary custodian of court records in Baltimore County and other Maryland jurisdictions. They are considered a part of Baltimore County Public Records and are disclosable to the public unless otherwise specified by law or court order.
Under the Maryland Statutes and Rules of Procedure, Baltimore County courts must preserve records of criminal and civil cases brought to them. The primary reason is to foster transparency within the judicial system: the public can learn about the processes and outcomes of court cases (i.e., how justice is administered), and the court can be held accountable for its actions and decisions. Baltimore County court records also provide a historical context for legal proceedings conducted within the court system, thus enabling subsequent legal research and reference. Parties to a court case also benefit from the preservation of court records within Baltimore County's justice system, as they have easy access to documents and information about their cases.
Are Court Records Public in Baltimore County?
Yes. Per the Maryland Public Information Act, Baltimore County court records are available to members of the public. The Maryland PIA provides anyone with the right to access governmental records from official custodians in the state, including those within the Baltimore County court system. This means an interested person, whether a resident or non-resident of the county, can examine or copy court records without providing a reason for their inquiry or obtaining special access from the court.
Notwithstanding, some court records are confidential by law, court order, or court rule. Under the PIA, a court may also restrict access when disclosure would be "contrary to the public interest". That is, when the release of a record would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy, impede a judicial proceeding or criminal investigation, threaten personal or public safety, reveal a confidential source, or otherwise conflict with the purpose of the PIA. In such cases, the entire case file (or sections of it) may be removed or redacted from public inspection.
Examples of protected court records and information in Baltimore County include:
- Adoption records
- Juvenile delinquency records
- Presentence investigation reports
- Guardianship records
- Expunged case records
- Extreme risk protective orders
- Social Security numbers
- Certain marriage license information
- Financial account numbers
- Medical or other health information
What Do Baltimore County Court Records Contain?
The specific contents of a court record maintained in Baltimore County depend on the case type and court. Still, there are certain kinds of information that one may find in a court record, such as:
- The names of the parties involved in a case, including the presiding judge and attorneys
- The case number, type (e.g., civil, family, traffic, criminal), and status (active or closed)
- Filing dates
- Dates and locations of case hearings
- Court orders and judgments
- Pleadings and motions
- Exhibits (physical documents, digital files, photographs, audio and video recordings) filed as evidence in a court trial
- Transcripts from court hearings, including attorney arguments and witness testimonies
- Appeal filings and decisions
Where to Conduct a Baltimore County Case Lookup
Members of the public can conduct a Baltimore County case lookup to view/copy court records at the courthouse where a case was filed or heard. There are also online portals with which a court case lookup can be performed, including:
- The Maryland Judiciary Case Search System
- The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) System
How to Conduct a Baltimore County Case Records Search
Court case records are primarily maintained in two formats in Baltimore County: physical (paper) and electronic. The method used to search Baltimore County case records depends on the record format sought and the court maintaining the case file.
Physical Case Records Search
To find paper records associated with a court case, a person must visit the court that received the case filing. At the courthouse, the individual can submit a formal request to the court clerk's office or use a Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) kiosk, if provided, to access court records. An individual may view or copy case records at the courthouse. However, bear in mind that a case party's name or case number is often needed to find a record, and copies attract a nominal fee per page.
Electronic Case Records Search
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search System is the primary platform for persons who want remote access to public case records maintained in the Baltimore County Circuit and District Courts. The site has two name search options: Person Search and Company Search. The former allows an inquirer to search for a case with a case party's last name (an option is also provided to search with a first or middle name). Meanwhile, the Company Search uncovers cases associated with a particular company. Researchers can also search with a case number and are provided additional search filters to narrow their search results, such as the party type, case type, court system (Circuit, District, or both), and filing date.
Case Search does not provide official or complete court records and should not be used for background checks. Inquirers can only access specific details in a case file. It is best to visit the clerk's office for official and complete case records. Further, not all case records are available on Case Search. Some records are barred from public access, and others can only be viewed at the courthouse. For example, District Court cases involving possession of marijuana with a disposition of October 1, 2014, or earlier can only be viewed at the courthouse.
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) System can also be accessed to obtain case records from Baltimore County. However, while the public may have in-person access to MDEC kiosks at the county courthouses, remote access is available in limited circumstances (usually only to case parties and attorneys).
The Maryland court system also provides an Estate Search site where individuals can find estate case records of the orphans' courts, including the Orphans' Court for Baltimore County.
Baltimore County Civil Court Case Records
Civil court case records are comprehensive accounts of legal proceedings held in a civil court. In Baltimore County, these records are maintained by the Circuit, District, and Orphans' Courts.
Civil case records obtainable from the Baltimore County District Court locations include civil claims of up to $30,000, landlord-tenant disputes, replevin, domestic violence cases, and small claims (claims for $5,000 or less). Meanwhile, civil case records in the Baltimore County Circuit Court include records of major civil cases (including cases involving jury trials) and civil appeals from the District and Orphans' courts. Finally, the Orphans' Court for Baltimore County keeps records of probate cases filed in the county.
Anyone seeking a civil court case record in Baltimore County can begin their investigation on the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal (for circuit and district court cases) or the Estate Search portal maintained by the Maryland Offices of the Register of Wills (for the orphans' court cases). By entering at least the last name of a case party or a case number on Case Search (or a decedent's name/estate number on Estate Search), a person can retrieve information from case records maintained in the Baltimore County courts. For example, the Estate Search portal can display a decedent's name, date of death, the estate number and status, the filing date, representing attorney, and docket history.
Individuals who require copies of civil case records may visit the applicable courthouse or contact the relevant court clerk's office to discover how to find court records in person or via other means. It may be possible to send a mail request for copies of civil court case records.
Baltimore County Criminal Court Case Records
Criminal court case records refer to the physical or electronic documents generated or maintained by criminal courts following a criminal proceeding. These records are preserved by court clerks in Baltimore County's district and circuit courts.
The first step to acquiring any criminal court case record in Baltimore County is determining which court holds the record. The fastest way to find the presiding criminal court, as well as obtain some information about a criminal case, is to access the Maryland Judiciary Case Search website with a case party's name or a case number. From there, the inquirer can visit the relevant courthouse to inspect or copy official criminal case records. One may also contact the applicable court clerk's office to learn how to find court records in person, by mail, or using other means provided by the court.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Free access to Baltimore County court records is provided to the public on the Maryland Judiciary Case Search and Estate Search websites. However, users cannot download or print the actual court case documents on either website for free. A fee applies to obtain a copy of any Baltimore County court record (typically $0.50 per page and $5 for certification).
Members of the public may also find court records online for free on third-party aggregate websites, although - like on court websites - a fee often applies to obtain comprehensive records.
Courts in Baltimore County, Maryland
Below is a directory of the courts in Baltimore County, Maryland:
Baltimore County Circuit Court
County Courts Building
401 Bosley Avenue
Towson, MD 21204
Phone: (410) 887-2601
Baltimore County District Court (Towson Location)
120 East Chesapeake Avenue
Towson, MD 21286-5307
Phone: (410) 512-2000
Baltimore County District Court (Essex Location)
8914 Kelso Drive
Essex, MD 21221-3121
Phone: (410) 512-2300
Baltimore County District Court (Catonsville Location)
1 Rolling Cross Road
Catonsville, MD 21228
Phone: (410) 512-2500
Baltimore County Orphans' Court
County Courts Building
401 Bosley Avenue, Suite 501
Towson, MD 21204
Phone: (410) 887-6516
Fax: (410) 296-5480
Register of Wills: Phone - (410) 887-6680 | Fax - (410) 583-2517
