Dorchester County Court Docket
Dorchester County court docket records are held by Circuit Court Clerk Amy J. Craig in Cambridge and are searchable online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. This page explains how to search for cases, what the Circuit and District Courts in Cambridge handle, how to request copies of records, and what resources are available for people working through court matters in this lower Eastern Shore county.
Dorchester County Court Docket Overview
Dorchester County Circuit Court
The Circuit Court for Dorchester County is located at 206 High Street in Cambridge. Clerk Amy J. Craig is also the Public Information Act (PIA) representative for the court. The Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases, civil suits over $30,000, family law matters including divorce (records from 1908 to present are held in the Civil Division), custody, support, guardianship, juvenile cases, and District Court appeals. Clerk's office phone is (410) 228-0481. Toll-free: 1-800-340-9186. TTY: 1-800-735-2258. Fax: (410) 221-5003. Email: amy.craig@mdcourts.gov. Mailing address: P.O. Box 150, Cambridge, MD 21613-0150.
Dorchester County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit, which also includes Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. Judges rotate among these four counties, but each county's records remain at its own courthouse. For any Dorchester County case, the 206 High Street address in Cambridge is the right place.
Key staff at the Circuit Court in Cambridge: Chief Deputy Clerk David J. Capobianco at (410) 228-0481. Family Magistrate Mary O'Donnell, Esq., handles domestic matters at (410) 221-1548. Court Auditor Thomas H. Adams Jr. handles estate accountings at (410) 228-0565. Court Administrator Missy M. Gallagher can be reached at (410) 228-6300 or missy.gallagher@mdcourts.gov. Family Support Services are coordinated by Miko Collins at (410) 228-1395 or miko.collins@mdcourts.gov. The Jury Commissioner is Deborah L. Sturgis at (410) 228-9840.
The Maryland Courts clerk page for Dorchester County lists contact information, office hours, and services provided by Clerk Amy J. Craig's office at 206 High Street in Cambridge.
This is the official Maryland Courts clerk page for Dorchester County, with current contact details and a list of available services.
| Address | 206 High Street, Cambridge, MD 21613 |
|---|---|
| Mailing | P.O. Box 150, Cambridge, MD 21613-0150 |
| Phone | (410) 228-0481 |
| Toll-Free | 1-800-340-9186 |
| TTY | 1-800-735-2258 |
| Fax | (410) 221-5003 |
| amy.craig@mdcourts.gov | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Judicial Circuit | 1st Judicial Circuit (Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, Worcester) |
Dorchester County District Court
The District Court for Dorchester County is at 310 Gay Street in Cambridge, P.O. Box 547, Cambridge, MD 21613. Phone: (410) 901-1420. This court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, motor vehicle matters, civil disputes under $30,000, small claims, landlord-tenant cases, and peace order petitions. No jury trials. A judge decides every case.
Dorchester County's District Court is part of District 2, the Lower Eastern Shore district, which also includes Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. Note that the District Court address is different from the Circuit Court address -- 310 Gay Street versus 206 High Street. If you're not sure which court you need, check your case paperwork or use the online docket search to find the case and see which court handled it.
Both courts are within Cambridge city limits, so a single trip to Cambridge can cover both if needed. District Court cases appear in the same Maryland Judiciary Case Search database as Circuit Court cases, which makes it easy to check both at once online before deciding whether to make the drive.
How to Search Dorchester County Court Records
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the free starting point for Dorchester County docket searches. No account required. Search by name, case number, citation, or attorney name. The system covers both Circuit and District Court cases filed in Dorchester County. Filter by county to limit results to Cambridge cases specifically.
Name searches default to exact match. Use a percent sign (%) after a name for partial matching. The database updates overnight, so same-day filings are not visible in real time. The online tool shows docket entries and case status but does not display scanned document images. For actual case documents, you need to visit 206 High Street in Cambridge or send a written request to the P.O. Box address.
One important note about online coverage for Dorchester County: Circuit Court records are available on Case Search from 1998. District Court records go back to 1989. Records from before those dates exist but are on older systems -- some older materials are on the "Papervision" document management system accessible only from the courthouse. If you need records from before 1998 (Circuit) or 1989 (District), call the clerk at (410) 228-0481 to ask about retrieval options for the specific date range you need.
The Maryland courts resource page for Dorchester County provides guidance on court docket access and tools for searching case records in Cambridge.
This resource page offers supplemental guidance on accessing Dorchester County court docket records online and in person.
Dorchester County land records are searchable through MDLandRec.net for free after registration. Land records here go back to 1851. These are separate from the court docket but come up frequently in civil cases involving property disputes, title issues, or estate settlements with real property components.
The Dorchester County records requests page outlines how to request copies of court records from the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Cambridge.
Use this page to understand the process and fees for requesting copies of Dorchester County court records.
Case Types in the Dorchester County Docket
Circuit Court cases in Dorchester County cover the full range of serious matters: felony criminal charges, major civil disputes, all family law proceedings (divorce records from 1908 forward are held in the Civil Division at (410) 228-0481), custody, support, protective orders, juvenile cases, adult guardianship, and appeals. Case number prefixes indicate type: "K" for criminal, "C" for civil, "F" for family. Searching by case number is faster than by name when you already have a number.
District Court handles the higher-volume docket: misdemeanor criminal, traffic, motor vehicle, landlord-tenant, small claims, and peace orders. These cases start at $0 cost for a small claims filing and go up based on the amount in dispute. The online Case Search covers both and marks each result with the court type, so you know immediately which courthouse holds the file.
Probate records in Dorchester County go back to 1882. These are maintained by the Register of Wills, a separate office from the Circuit Court Clerk. Dorchester County's Register of Wills is Doris Lewis, reachable at (410) 228-4181 or dlewis@registers.maryland.gov, located at 206 High Street, Cambridge, MD 21613 -- the same building as the Circuit Court. Don't confuse the two offices: the Clerk handles court case records, while the Register of Wills handles estate and probate records.
Getting Copies of Court Records
Plain copies cost $0.50 per page at the Dorchester County Circuit Court. Certified copies run $5.00 plus $0.50 per page. Exemplified copies, used when out-of-state courts or agencies need a triple-authenticated document, cost $10.00 plus $0.50 per page. Pay in person with cash, check, money order, or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover).
Mail requests are accepted at P.O. Box 150, Cambridge, MD 21613-0150. Include the case number or party name, a description of the documents needed, your return address, and payment for the estimated copy cost. The records requests page at courts.state.md.us/clerks/dorchester/recordsrequests has current instructions and fee details. If you're unsure of the cost upfront, calling (410) 228-0481 before mailing is a good idea.
Electronic document access through MDEC (Maryland Electronic Courts) is available with a public access account. Details are at mdcourts.gov/mdec/efilingpublic. A public kiosk at the Cambridge courthouse lets you view documents on-site without setting up a remote account. Free court forms are at mdcourts.gov/courtforms.
Checking Warrants in Dorchester County
To check whether there is an active warrant in Dorchester County, the main tools are the Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us and the Circuit Court clerk's office in person. You can also contact the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office at (410) 228-4141. The Sheriff's office maintains warrant information for the county. The Circuit Court at 206 High Street is another option for in-person warrant checks during business hours.
Not all warrants appear in the public online docket, particularly newer ones or those under seal. If an online search returns no result but you have reason to believe a warrant exists, a direct call to the Sheriff at (410) 228-4141 or a visit to the courthouse is the more reliable approach.
Legal Resources for Dorchester County
The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org is a free resource for Maryland residents handling court matters without a lawyer. It covers divorce, custody, landlord-tenant, small claims, expungement, and more. Relevant to anyone dealing with the Dorchester County Circuit or District Court.
Maryland Legal Aid serves Dorchester County. For free civil legal assistance -- housing, family law, consumer matters -- reach their intake line through mdlab.org. Income guidelines apply. All Maryland court forms, including those used in Dorchester County cases, are free at mdcourts.gov/courtforms. The official clerk page for Dorchester County is at mdcourts.gov/clerks/dorchester with current hours and contact details.
Cities in Dorchester County
All court filings for Dorchester County communities are handled at the Circuit and District Courts in Cambridge. No cities in Dorchester County meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site.
Communities in Dorchester County include Cambridge, Hurlock, East New Market, Secretary, Vienna, Federalsburg (shared with Caroline County), and several smaller towns and rural areas. All cases from these communities are filed at the Cambridge courthouse.
Nearby Counties
Dorchester County is on Maryland's lower Eastern Shore, part of the 1st Judicial Circuit. It borders Caroline and Talbot to the north, and Wicomico and Somerset to the south. Use the links below for docket information in neighboring counties.