Search Charles County Court Docket
Charles County court docket records are maintained by Circuit Court Clerk Lisa E. Yates in La Plata and can be searched online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search system. This page covers the Circuit and District Courts serving Charles County, how to look up cases, what each court handles, how to get copies of records, and what resources are available for residents navigating court matters in southern Maryland.
Charles County Court Docket Overview
Charles County Circuit Court
The Circuit Court for Charles County is at 200 Charles Street in La Plata. Clerk Lisa E. Yates has held the position since December 1, 2022. The Circuit Court handles the most significant cases in the county: felony criminal charges, civil disputes over $30,000, all family law matters (divorce, custody, child support, alimony, name changes), domestic violence proceedings, juvenile cases, adult guardianship, and appeals from the District Court. The main phone lines are 301-932-3201 and 301-932-3202. Toll-free: 888-932-2072. Mailing address is P.O. Box 970, La Plata, MD 20646-0970.
Charles County is part of the 7th Judicial Circuit, which includes Calvert, Prince George's, and St. Mary's counties. Judges rotate among these four counties but each county's docket remains separate. For Charles County cases, everything is at the La Plata courthouse. Chief Deputy Clerk Joyce Tippett can be reached at 301-932-3202. Court Administrator Julee Snyder handles administrative matters at 240-776-6779.
The Circuit Court in La Plata has several specialized divisions, each with its own direct phone line. Civil cases: 301-932-3215. Criminal: 301-932-3220. Family: 301-932-3215 (same as civil). Juvenile: 301-932-3230. Land Records: 301-932-3223. Child Support: 301-932-3245. Business and Marriage Licenses: 301-932-3308. For jury matters, there's a recorded information line at 301-932-3200 and a live clerk at 301-932-3203.
Circuit Court judges in Charles County include Administrative Judge H. Jay West (301-932-3228), William R. Greer Jr. (301-932-3430), Donine Carrington-Martin (301-932-3275), Makeba Gibbs (301-932-3250), and Monise Brown (301-932-3265). If you have a case before a specific judge, you can contact that judge's chambers through the courthouse main number.
The Maryland Courts clerk page for Charles County provides contact information, services, and links to court resources maintained by Clerk Lisa E. Yates in La Plata.
This is the official Maryland Courts clerk page for Charles County, listing all current contact details and services.
| Address | 200 Charles Street, La Plata, MD 20646 |
|---|---|
| Mailing | P.O. Box 970, La Plata, MD 20646-0970 |
| Main Phone | 301-932-3201 |
| General Line | 301-932-3202 or 301-870-2659 |
| Toll-Free | 888-932-2072 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Judicial Circuit | 7th Judicial Circuit (Calvert, Charles, Prince George's, St. Mary's) |
Charles County District Court
The District Court for Charles County is also located in La Plata, at 11 Washington Avenue. There are four courtrooms. The District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic and motor vehicle violations, landlord-tenant disputes, civil claims under $30,000, small claims up to $5,000, and peace order petitions. No jury trials. All cases are decided by a judge.
A Court Help Center operates at the lower level of the District Court building at 200 Charles Street, open Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. This is a free service for people who represent themselves in court. Staff can help you understand what forms to file, how to use the court system, and what steps to take for common case types. They cannot give legal advice, but they can walk you through the process and point you to the right resources.
District Court cases in Charles County appear in the same Maryland Judiciary Case Search system as Circuit Court cases. If you're not sure whether your matter went to Circuit or District Court, search both by using the statewide search option and then filtering by county. Case number formats differ between the two courts, so once you find a result, you can tell which court handled it.
The Maryland Courts directory page for Charles County lists both Circuit and District Court locations, phone numbers, and addresses at the La Plata courthouse.
Use this directory page to confirm current court locations and contact information before visiting La Plata.
Searching the Charles County Court Docket Online
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the free, no-login tool for finding Charles County docket records. Search by name, case number, citation number, attorney, or date range. The system covers both Circuit and District Court cases and includes criminal, civil, family, and traffic matters filed in Charles County.
By default, name searches require an exact match. Add a percent sign (%) after a name to search for partial matches if spelling is uncertain. The database is updated overnight, so filings from the current business day may not yet appear. The system shows docket entries and case status but not actual document images. To see the documents themselves, visit the clerk's office in person or submit a mail request.
The general information page at courts.state.md.us/clerks/charles/general provides additional guidance on how the clerk's office handles records requests and what information is available. For a direct list of available records and how to request them, the records page at courts.state.md.us/clerks/charles/records is useful.
The Charles County clerk general information page outlines how the Circuit Court Clerk's office handles records access, service types, and requests in La Plata.
This page explains available services and how to access Charles County court records from the clerk's office.
Charles County land records, including deeds recorded since 1776, are available for free through MDLandRec.net after free registration. These are separate from the court docket but relevant when researching property disputes, estate settlements, or deed history tied to a civil case.
Charles Records provides a supplemental resource for looking up court records and public record information specific to Charles County, Maryland.
This resource supplements the official Case Search with additional guidance for locating Charles County court records.
What the Charles County Docket Covers
Circuit Court case types in Charles County include felony criminal charges, major civil disputes, all divorce and family law proceedings, protective orders, CINA (child in need of assistance) matters, juvenile delinquency, guardianship petitions, and District Court appeals. Case number prefixes indicate type: "K" for criminal, "C" for civil, "F" for family. Divorce records in Charles County go back to 1908, maintained by the Civil Division at 301-932-3215.
District Court cases cover misdemeanors, traffic, motor vehicle violations, landlord-tenant, small claims, and peace orders. If you know a case was a minor criminal matter or a traffic ticket, it almost certainly went to District Court rather than Circuit Court. Either way, the online Case Search covers both and lets you filter by court type after you find a result.
Expungement petitions are filed in the Circuit Court when a person seeks to have older records removed from public view. The forms used in Charles County are CC-DC-CR-072A for dismissed cases, CC-DC-CR-072B for guilty convictions (which carries a $30 fee), and CC-DC-089 for fee waivers. Approved expungements mean the underlying case no longer appears in the public online docket. This is separate from the 2024 law change that automatically removed some dismissed cases.
Getting Copies of Charles County Court Records
Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 plus $0.50 per page -- the $5.00 covers the clerk's certification. Marriage and divorce certified copies each cost $5.50. Exemplified copies, which carry a triple seal, cost $10.00 plus $0.50 per page. For land recording, the fee is $20 for nine pages or fewer, $75 for ten or more pages, with a $40 surcharge on top.
In-person payment accepts cash, check, money order, and credit cards -- Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. Note that American Express, Google Pay, and Apple Pay are not accepted at the Charles County courthouse. If you're planning to pay by credit card, bring a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card specifically.
Mail requests go to: Circuit Court Clerk, P.O. Box 970, La Plata, MD 20646-0970. Include the case number or party names, the documents you need, your return address, and a check or money order for the copy fees. The records request page at mdcourts.gov/clerks/charles/recordsrequests has current instructions. Electronic access through MDEC is available at mdcourts.gov/mdec/efilingpublic.
Legal Resources for Charles County
Charles County's District Court Help Center (lower level, 200 Charles Street, La Plata) is open weekdays and provides free assistance to people representing themselves in court. This is an in-person resource. For online self-help, the People's Law Library at peoples-law.org covers Maryland court procedures, forms, and explanations of legal concepts across a wide range of case types.
Maryland Legal Aid serves Charles County residents who need free civil legal help. Income guidelines apply. Their primary focus areas are housing, family law, and consumer matters. Reach them through mdlab.org. Court forms for all Maryland courts are available at no cost at mdcourts.gov/courtforms, including forms for expungement, civil filings, and family law matters in Charles County.
For alternative dispute resolution in Charles County Circuit Court, contact ADR Coordinator Jessica Reynolds at 301-932-3249. Drug Court inquiries go to D. Paul Wolford at 301-932-3333. Family Services Coordinator is available at 301-932-3278, and the Domestic Violence Coordinator can be reached at 301-609-6223.
Cities in Charles County
Waldorf is the largest community in Charles County and has its own court docket page on this site. All Circuit and District Court filings for Waldorf and other Charles County communities are processed at the La Plata courthouse.
Other communities in Charles County include La Plata, White Plains, Indian Head, Port Tobacco, and several smaller unincorporated areas. All use the same Charles County courthouse for court matters.
Nearby Counties
Charles County is in southern Maryland, part of the 7th Judicial Circuit along with Calvert, Prince George's, and St. Mary's. Use the links below to find docket information for neighboring counties.