Find Maryland Court Docket Records

Maryland court docket records are public documents maintained by Circuit Courts and District Courts across all 24 jurisdictions in the state. A court docket tracks every official action in a case: filings, hearings, motions, orders, and final outcomes. The Maryland Judiciary Case Search gives free online access to docket records from courts statewide. You can search by name, case number, or citation to find Maryland court docket information going back decades. This guide covers how to search court dockets in Maryland, what the records include, how to get certified copies, and where to find legal help.

How to Search Maryland Court Docket Records Online

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the primary tool for searching court docket records across the state. It covers all 24 court jurisdictions, including every Circuit Court and District Court. You do not need an account. There is no fee to use it. The system is open to anyone, and you can access it at any time from a computer or phone. Visit casesearch.courts.state.md.us to begin your search for Maryland court docket records.

Name searches are the most common way to find court docket records in Maryland. Enter the last name first in the search field. By default, the system looks for exact name matches only. To find partial name results, type at least the first character of the last name followed by a percent sign. For example, entering "John%" pulls up Johnson, Johns, and Johnston. The percent sign works only at the end of a word. You cannot place it at the beginning or middle. First names are optional. The Case Search system limits results to 500 records per query. If your search hits that cap, add a filing date range or select a specific county to narrow things down. Results come from real court records and update each night.

You can also look up court docket records in Maryland by case number. The case number format includes the year, court level, and a sequence number. Traffic and infraction cases can be found with a citation number. The system checks all court levels at once unless you specify a court type. A CAPTCHA verification step appears before every search. This was added in March 2022 to prevent automated scraping of court docket data.

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search FAQ page at courts.state.md.us/casesearch2/faq answers common questions about how the system works and explains the CAPTCHA process in detail.

The Case Search system is useful for basic research, but it has limits. It does not show the actual documents in a case file. You see docket entries only, not images of the papers that were filed. To get copies of the filings themselves, you must contact the clerk's office for the county where the case was filed.

What Maryland Court Docket Records Contain

When you open a case in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search, you see the court docket for that matter. The docket is a running log of every official action from the day the case was filed to its final resolution. Civil, criminal, family, and traffic cases all have dockets in Maryland courts.

Each docket entry shows a date, the type of action taken, and a brief description. Filing dates, hearing dates, and order dates all appear in the docket. At the top of the case, you see the names of all parties and their attorneys if they have legal representation. The case number, the court location, the case status, and the assigned judge are all listed. For criminal court dockets, you also see the charges filed, the charge codes, and the final outcome. If a conviction led to a sentence, that sentence appears in the docket. For civil cases, judgment amounts and lien information show up in the docket record.

Court dockets in Maryland do not include the text of the documents themselves. Case Search shows what was filed and when, but not the content of the filings. That said, the docket record tells you a great deal about the history of a case.

Some case types have restricted dockets. Juvenile cases, adoption records, and certain mental health matters do not appear in the public Case Search system at all. Sealed or expunged records are also removed from public access. Starting in 2024, criminal cases that ended in dismissal, nolle prosequi, or acquittal are no longer available online, though they can still be reviewed in person at the courthouse.

Maryland's Court System and Docket Types

Maryland has four levels of courts. Each level handles different case types and keeps its own court docket records. Knowing which court heard a case helps you find the right docket.

District Court is the trial court of limited jurisdiction. It handles small civil claims up to $30,000, misdemeanor charges, traffic matters, and landlord-tenant cases. There are 34 District Court locations in 12 districts across Maryland. District Court judges decide all cases without juries. District Court dockets are part of the statewide Case Search system, with records generally going back to 1989. District Court is often the first stop for many civil and criminal matters in Maryland.

Circuit Court is the general trial court. It handles civil cases over $30,000, serious felonies, divorce and custody cases, and appeals from District Court. Each of Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City has its own Circuit Court. Jury trials are held at the Circuit Court level. Circuit Court dockets are available through Case Search, with coverage in most counties dating to the late 1980s or earlier. Some counties have records going back much further in the system or at the Maryland State Archives.

The Appellate Court of Maryland reviews decisions from Circuit Courts. The Supreme Court of Maryland is the highest court in the state, formerly called the Court of Appeals. Both appellate courts accept only a limited number of cases and focus on questions of law rather than new trials. Their docket records are also public.

MDEC: Electronic Court Docket Access in Maryland

The Maryland Electronic Courts system, known as MDEC, is the state's integrated case management and e-filing platform. It covers all four levels of Maryland courts. MDEC changed how attorneys file cases and how the public can access court docket documents in Maryland.

For attorneys, e-filing through MDEC is required for all cases in MDEC-participating courts. Attorneys register through the Maryland Odyssey File and Serve platform. For the public, MDEC offers access through public kiosk terminals located at all MDEC courthouses. These terminals are free to use during courthouse business hours, typically 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. They allow you to view case documents in person without any fee.

Remote document viewing through MDEC requires registration. You must also print and complete the Application for Party Access to MDEC Cases, which is form MDJ-004. This form needs an original notary seal and your signature before you submit it to the court. Once approved, you can view documents for cases where you are listed as a party. The MDEC public e-filing information page at mdcourts.gov/mdec/efilingpublic has full instructions for both public registration and attorney access. Self-represented litigants may use MDEC to e-file on a voluntary basis. One rule applies: if you choose to e-file once, you must continue to e-file all future documents in all future Maryland court cases.

MDEC technical support is available by phone at 410-260-1114 or by email at mdcourts@service-now.com. For e-filing issues specific to the Tyler Technologies platform, call 1-800-297-5377.

2024 Changes to Maryland Criminal Court Docket Access

In 2024, Maryland made significant changes to public access for criminal court docket records. These changes affect what you can find in the online Case Search system and apply to all Maryland courts statewide.

Several types of criminal case outcomes are no longer visible in the online Maryland Judiciary Case Search. This includes any criminal charge where the outcome was a nolle prosequi, a dismissal, or an acquittal. Criminal charges entered as stet where three or more years have passed are also removed from online access. Cannabis possession charges that were the sole charge and disposed before July 1, 2023 are no longer in the online system. Cannabis convictions that received a governor's pardon are also removed from public online access.

These records still exist. The court docket is not destroyed. If you need to see one of these restricted court records, you can visit the clerk's office at the courthouse where the case was filed. Staff can help you based on your stated purpose. Law enforcement agencies and certain licensing boards retain access to shielded records. For guidance on the specific rules, the Maryland Courts website at mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/courtrecords covers what records are public and what rules apply.

Fees for Maryland Court Records and Certified Copies

The Maryland Judiciary sets standard copy fees that apply at Circuit Courts and District Courts statewide. These rates are the same whether you visit a courthouse in Baltimore City or a small county in Western Maryland. Fees apply to both certified and plain copies of court docket records and case file documents.

Standard plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus $0.50 per page. A certified copy carries the court seal and the clerk's signature, making it valid for official legal use. Exemplified copies, sometimes called triple-seal copies, cost $10.00 plus the per-page copy fee. These are used when an out-of-state agency or international office needs added verification of the document. Name search fees are $12.00 per name for a five-year period when staff must conduct the search. Extensive staff research beyond two hours costs $25.00 per hour.

The standard fees for Maryland court records at a glance:

• Plain copy: $0.50 per page
• Certified copy: $5.00 + $0.50 per page
• Exemplified (triple-seal) copy: $10.00 + $0.50 per page
• Name search (per name, per 5-year period): $12.00
• Marriage or divorce certified copy: $5.50
• Audio recording of hearing: $10.00 per case

Payment at most courthouses is accepted by cash, check, money order, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. Do not send cash in mail requests. Use a check or money order made payable to the Clerk of the Court. For mail requests, include the case number, the names of all parties, and a description of the specific documents you need. Processing times for mail orders run five to ten business days for standard requests and longer for older or archived records. Fee waivers are available under certain financial hardship conditions through the Maryland Public Information Act.

Maryland Land Records and Property Dockets

Beyond court case dockets, Maryland offers free online access to land records through MDLandRec.net. This service is a joint effort of the Maryland Judiciary and the Maryland State Archives. Free registration with a valid email address gives you access to deeds, mortgages, liens, and other land record instruments from all 24 Maryland jurisdictions. Some counties have land records available in the system going back to the 1600s. MDLandRec is useful for researching property titles, looking up deed history, or finding recorded judgments and tax liens tied to real property in Maryland.

Subdivision and survey plats are handled separately through Plats.net, which covers plat records for all Maryland counties. For estate and probate records, the Register of Wills Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov provides access to probate dockets and estate files from all 24 Maryland jurisdictions, generally from 1965 forward. Historical records older than what is available online can be requested from the Maryland State Archives at 350 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis or through their online ordering system at shop.msa.maryland.gov.

Legal Help for Maryland Court Matters

Several free and low-cost resources help people who need to understand court docket records or navigate the Maryland court system on their own. The Maryland Courts website at mdcourts.gov has self-help guides, court forms, and information on all case types. Court Help Centers operate at many Maryland courthouse locations and are staffed by attorneys who give free limited guidance on civil matters.

The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org is a free online resource covering Maryland law, court procedures, and self-represented litigant guides. Maryland Legal Aid serves low-income residents in all parts of the state and handles a wide range of civil legal matters. You can reach Maryland Legal Aid at mdlab.org. For court forms used in Maryland Circuit Courts and District Courts, visit mdcourts.gov/courtforms. The Court Help Center phone and chat line can be reached at 410-260-1392 and is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Browse Maryland Court Dockets by Location

Maryland court docket records are maintained at the county level. Each Circuit Court Clerk's office keeps filings for cases in that jurisdiction. Select a county or city below to find local courthouse information, contact details, and guidance for searching court dockets in that specific area.

Maryland Counties

All 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City have their own Circuit Court. Each county also has one or more District Court locations. Browse the counties below to find local court docket search resources and clerk office details.

View All 23 Maryland Counties →

Major Maryland Cities

Court docket records in Maryland cities are filed at the county Circuit Court or one of the state's 34 District Court locations. Browse major Maryland cities to learn which courts serve your area and how to find docket records near you.

View Major Maryland Cities →