Maryland Court Case Lookup

A court case is a dispute between two parties that is taken to a court of law to be resolved by a judge or jury. The Maryland Court System is divided into four levels: two Trial Courts (district and circuit courts) and two Appellate Courts (court of special appeals and court of appeals).

The Trial Courts make judgments based on the evidence presented in a court case after considering all the facts, the law, and all legal precedents. Appellate Courts review a trial court's conclusions and then decide whether the law and legal precedents were properly followed by the trial court's judge or jury.

In Maryland, a court case lookup allows members of the public access to court case information. This is done by querying the custodian office of the records pursuant to the provisions of the state FOIA law.

Are Court Cases Public Record in Maryland?

Yes, court cases are generally considered public records per the Maryland Public Information Act (PIA). The PIA grants the public a broad right to access public records while protecting legitimate governmental interests and the privacy rights of individual citizens.

However, Maryland Courts have classified certain court records (adoption, guardianship terminating parental rights, income tax returns, and juvenile criminal cases) as confidential and have restricted public access to those records. Also, the parties involved in a court case may request that the court seal certain aspects of their court records and restrict access to such records by the public.

How to Conduct a Maryland Court Case Lookup

Generally, anyone can conduct a court case lookup by visiting the clerk's office in the courthouse where the case was heard. An individual seeking access to a court case record must provide the case number or the names of the case parties to help the court clerk locate the file. Record seekers can contact the courthouse to inquire whether the required record is available.

Alternatively, interested persons can access certain court cases electronically via the Maryland Judiciary Case Search tool. A search can be done by name or case number, and other fields like party type, case type, the court system, county, and filing date may be filled to narrow a search.

Can I Get Maryland Court Case Documents Online?

Yes, an individual can obtain Maryland court case documents online. However, only non-certified copies of court case records are available electronically. The primary way to access Maryland court case documents online is via the Maryland Judiciary Case Search tool available on the Court website. A search can be conducted by name or case number. Online requesters should expect to retrieve the following court case information:

Case information (court system’s name, case number, case status, status date, tracking number, district case number, complaint number, and filing date)
Defendant information (name, race, sex, date of birth, address, city, state, and zip code)
Alias information (name, address, city, state, zip code)
Charge and disposition information (charge number, arrest/citation number, CJIS/traffic code, description, disposition, and disposition date)
Related person information (name, connection, and address)
Event history information (event, date, and comment)

How to Conduct a Maryland Court Search by Name

An inquirer can conduct a Maryland court search by name using the online tool the Maryland Judiciary provides. Enter the exact first, middle, or last name of the case parties in the search box provided to access court case information about the record holders. One can also conduct a partial name search via this tool by inputting the first character of the last name in the required box, followed by a % symbol. The system will then perform a search based on the information provided.

To conduct a name search in person, visit the courthouse where the case record is kept. For instance, to conduct a case search by name at Harford county, visit the office of the Circuit Court Clerk and make a request at:

Harford County Circuit Court Clerk
20 West Courtland Street,
Bel Air, MD 21014
Phone: (410) 838-4952

What is a Court Case Number?

A case number is a unique and specific set of numbers assigned to a case by the court of law. This case number makes it easier to identify, refer to, and retrieve a case document when needed. It also helps one know when and where a case was filed, the judicial officer assigned to the case, and what type of case was filed. The court clerk of the courthouse where a case was filed can help an individual verify the case number of a case.

How to Conduct a Case Number Search in Maryland

A requester can conduct a case number search using the Case Search tool available on the Maryland Judiciary website. Requesters would have to select the county or circuit court the case was held and input the case number in the search box. Alternatively, an individual can visit the court where the case was held to conduct a case number search. They would have to provide the case number to the clerk of court and pay the necessary fees.

How to Remove Court Cases From Public Record in Maryland

There are various ways to remove court cases from public records under the law in Maryland. One major way is through Expungement. Expungement is a process that removes a case from court and law enforcement records. Expungement can be automatic or applied. An automatic expungement will occur if a charge results in a dismissal, an acquittal, a not-guilty plea, or nolle prosequi (without a requirement of drug or alcohol treatment). In these cases, the records will be automatically expunged after 3 years. An applied expungement will require an individual to make a request to the court to have certain kinds of court and police records to be removed from public view. This mostly applies to records that did not result in a conviction, with a few exceptions and only after a minimum waiting time, depending on how the case ended. It should be noted that expungement will not remove an individual's information from a private firm's database.

Another way to remove court cases from public record in Maryland is to make a petition by filing a Motion to Seal Case Records Relating to a Petition for Emergency Evaluation of a Minor or otherwise limit inspection of a case record with a Petition for Shielding Under the Maryland Second Chance Act. A 'Petition for Shielding' or a 'Motion to Seal' though different under certain circumstances, but both restrict public access to court records. However, this is different from expungement. In Maryland, an expunged record is as good as non-existent, while a sealed or shielded record is still available in court and law enforcement records but restricted from public view. In some cases, such as criminal cases, the victim’s case records are automatically shielded without a filed petition/motion.

How to Check a Court Case Status in Maryland

There are two basic ways to check the status of a court case in the state of Maryland. The first is to visit the clerk's office of the courthouse where the case was filed, fill in the required information about the case in the form provided, then wait for the clerk's report.

The second way is to visit the Maryland Judiciary Case Search database provided for the public, fill in the required information in the boxes provided by the search engine, and wait for search results. The results of this Case Search engine will provide information about the case status and other relevant details of the case.

How to Find Supreme Court Decisions in Maryland

Individuals can find Supreme Court decisions on the Maryland courts website. The Supreme Court Decisions are first considered as opinions, so locate the Slip Opinions Section in the index on the website to access these court decisions.

These slip opinions are still subject to change, and only after they have been published in the bound books of Maryland Reports or Maryland Appellate reports as well as in the United States Reports are they then considered finalized and termed decisions. These decisions found in the bound volumes have the upper hand over all other versions of the case.

What Percentage of Court Cases Go to Trial in Maryland?

In Maryland, statistics show that only about 1% of court cases go to trial. While many cases are filed yearly, only about one in twenty cases eventually go to trial.

In most cases, the parties involved in a lawsuit often settle outside the court. It gives the parties greater control over the decisions made, saves the cost involved in filing a lawsuit, and saves time. Some courts in the state of Maryland recommend pre-trial settlement conferences and mediation to encourage the parties to reach an agreement without a trial.

How Long Does a Court Case Last in Maryland?

In Maryland, the court system has a set standard to ensure that cases are heard and settled in a given period. The court system aims to have 98% of all criminal cases resolved within six months in Maryland. Specifically,

Civil cases under 18 months
Child shelter cases and termination of parental rights cases under 30 and 180 days, respectively
90% of domestic cases under 12 months
Non-shelter cases under 60 days

Despite these set standards and expectations by the court, various factors will affect how long a court case will last in Maryland. For instance, a non-contested case will require a lesser duration than a contested case. Also, the number of parties involved in a case, the location of the parties, the response, the involvement of an attorney, work demands, available witnesses, and pre-trial settlement options can affect the duration of a court case in Maryland.

How to File a Case in Court in Maryland

A petitioner or plaintiff can get a complaint form electronically or manually from the court in charge of the case to initiate the case process. Review Chapter 300 of the Maryland Code for more information on court forms. The form must be filed with the appropriate local court and the necessary filing fees must be paid. All District Courts in Maryland have the same filing fees, while that of Circuit Courts vary. Petitioners who cannot afford filing fees upfront can make delayed payment or fee waiver requests to the court.

What Does It Mean if a Court Case Was Resolved Before the Trial Date?

If a court case was resolved before the trial date, it means that the case was resolved by the court or parties involved without a trial hearing. If a case is settled before trial, the case is closed without any further proceedings. Alternative ways of resolving a case without trial are:

Plea bargain: In this case, the defending party agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a lesser charge. Many criminal cases are settled via this means.
Case dismissal: A case dismissal occurs when the prosecuting party withdraws charges, or a judge dismisses the case due to inadequate information or evidence.
Mediation: A mediator is present to help both parties talk through the issue and reach a mutual consensus without the mediator’s input.
Arbitration: An arbitrator is present to weigh and balance both parties' evidence and then decide on the dispute. The decision made by the arbitrator is either binding (both parties accept the arbitrator's conclusion as final) or non-binding (the parties can decide to disagree with the arbitrator’s decision).
Neutral evaluation: An evaluator is present to listen to both parties' arguments and give their own opinion on the matter to help both parties conclude.
Settlement conference: The parties with their attorneys, sit with a judge or a settlement officer who helps them reach a mutual agreement. A settlement conference can either be made mandatory by the court and set close to the trial or hearing date, or both parties can opt for the conference voluntarily.

Can a Judge Overrule a Jury in a Court Case in Maryland?

Yes, a judge can overrule a jury in a court case in Maryland, but this is very rare. Such an action is described as a judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV) for a civil case or judgment of acquittal for a criminal case.

The jury's verdicts are highly regarded because they are considered the voice of the community. A judge is not quick to overrule a jury verdict except when there is insufficient evidence or inadequate access to information that may compromise the jury's impartiality.