Washington County Court Docket
Washington County court docket records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Hagerstown and are searchable online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search system. This page covers how to search the Washington County docket, the specific procedures the clerk's office requires, how to get document copies including land records going back to 1776, and what legal resources are available in this Western Maryland county.
Washington County Court Docket Overview
Washington County Circuit Court
The Circuit Court for Washington County is at 24 Summit Avenue in Hagerstown. The Circuit Court Clerk is Kevin R. Tucker, a Republican who has served since December 3, 2018. His email is kevin.tucker@mdcourts.gov. The main phone line is 301-733-8660. Additional numbers are 301-790-7941, 301-790-4972, and 301-790-7413. A toll-free line is available at 800-937-2062. Fax is 301-791-1151. For written requests and general correspondence, use washcocc_clerk@mdcourts.gov.
The automated phone system routes callers to the right department: press 0 for general questions, 1 for licensing, 2 for civil matters, 3 for criminal matters, and 4 for land records. For jury inquiries, press 299. This routing system helps direct calls efficiently -- if you know which department you need, you can skip the menu entirely.
Washington County is part of the 4th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Allegany and Garrett counties. These three Western Maryland counties share circuit judges, but each maintains its own independent docket. For Washington County cases, the clerk's office at 24 Summit Avenue in Hagerstown is the right contact. The official clerk page is at mdcourts.gov/clerks/washington.
The Washington County Circuit Court Clerk page provides contact information, hours, and details about clerk services at the Hagerstown courthouse.
Use this page to find current phone numbers, hours, and service options for the Washington County clerk's office.
| Address | 24 Summit Avenue, Hagerstown, MD 21740 |
|---|---|
| Main Phone | 301-733-8660 |
| Toll-Free | 800-937-2062 |
| Fax | 301-791-1151 |
| washcocc_clerk@mdcourts.gov | |
| Clerk | Kevin R. Tucker (since December 3, 2018) |
| Judicial Circuit | 4th Judicial Circuit (Allegany, Garrett, Washington) |
Important: Case Number Required for In-Person Requests
As of October 5, 2020, the Washington County Circuit Court clerk's office requires a case number to process records requests. You cannot search by name alone at the counter. You must get a case number first -- use the Maryland Judiciary Case Search online at casesearch.courts.state.md.us to find it before you visit or call. This is different from many other Maryland counties and is worth knowing before you make the drive.
Once you have a case number, you can request specific documents by mail or in person. The online Case Search tool at casesearch.courts.state.md.us gives you case numbers for both Circuit and District Court cases. It searches by party name, so start there, find the case number, and bring it with you to the Washington County courthouse on Summit Avenue.
Washington County District Court
The District Court serving Washington County is at 36 W. Antietam Street in Hagerstown. This is a different address from the Circuit Court on Summit Avenue -- it's easy to mix them up if you're not sure where you're going in Hagerstown. The District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, civil claims under $30,000, small claims up to $5,000, peace order petitions, and landlord-tenant matters. Cases are decided by a judge with no jury option at this level.
Washington County's District Court is part of District 4, the Western Maryland district, which also covers Allegany and Garrett counties. This is the same three-county grouping as the 4th Judicial Circuit, which makes the structure here consistent. If you're not sure which court handled a case, the online Case Search tool identifies Circuit vs. District for each result.
Searching the Washington County Docket Online
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the free online search tool for Washington County court records. No account is needed. Search by party name, case number, citation number, or attorney. Results cover both Circuit and District Court cases for Washington County, including criminal, civil, family, and traffic matters. Remember: you'll need the case number before visiting the courthouse in person.
Name searches default to exact matching. Use a percent sign (%) as a wildcard to catch spelling variations -- "Tucker%" returns Tucker, Tuckers, Tuckerman, and similar. The 500-result cap applies here as elsewhere, so for common surnames in Hagerstown, add a first name or narrow by date range. The docket updates overnight, not in real time. Filings made today appear the next business day.
Online results show docket entries and case status. They don't include scanned document images. To get actual documents, visit the clerk's office at 24 Summit Avenue with the case number ready, or submit a mail request. The 2024 Maryland law change removed certain dismissed and acquitted cases from the online system. A name that doesn't appear in online search results isn't necessarily free of any record -- checking with the clerk directly may be needed for complete confirmation.
The Washington County records information page explains what records are available, how to request them, copy fees, and the case number requirement in place since October 2020.
Review this page before submitting a records request so you have the case number ready and know exactly what to include.
Washington County Land Records
Washington County land records go back to 1776, which makes them among the older land record collections accessible online in Maryland. They are searchable at a county-specific MDLandRec.net URL: mdlandrec.net/main/dsp_search.cfm?cid=WA. Registration is free. Searching is free. The records include deeds, mortgages, releases, and related instruments recorded since the county's formation.
Recording a deed in Washington County requires an extra step that doesn't apply in most other Maryland counties: you must first go through the Washington County Treasurer's Office at 35 W. Washington Street in Hagerstown (phone: 240-313-2110) to pay transfer and recordation taxes before the Recording Department at the clerk's office will accept the instrument. The Recording Department is at (301) 790-7991 ext. 1. Call ahead to confirm the tax amounts before you arrive.
Land recording fees in Washington County: releases are $10.00, instruments of 9 pages or less are $20.00, instruments of 10 or more pages are $75.00, and there is a $40.00 surcharge on top of the base instrument fee. Recordation tax is $3.80 per $500 of consideration. State Transfer Tax is 0.5% (reduced to 0.25% for first-time Maryland homebuyers). County Transfer Tax is 0.5% of value over $50,000 (0.25% for first-time buyers on amounts under $115,000). Agricultural Land Transfer Tax is 2%. E-recording is available through SimpliFile for qualified filers.
Family Law Self-Help Clinic and Legal Aid
Washington County has a walk-in Family Law Self-Help Clinic for people handling their own family law matters. It runs in the Circuit Court Law Library at 24 Summit Avenue in Hagerstown. Hours are Tuesday 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Thursday 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. No appointment is needed. This clinic provides guidance on filling out family law forms and understanding the process -- it does not provide legal advice or representation.
Maryland Legal Aid serves Washington County residents who need free civil legal help. For Washington County, reach Maryland Legal Aid by calling 301-694-7414 or through their website at mdlab.org. They handle qualifying cases in housing, family law, and consumer matters. The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org also has free guides covering Maryland court procedures and self-help information for both Circuit and District Court matters in Hagerstown.
Blank court forms for all Maryland courts are free at mdcourts.gov/courtforms. These include family law forms, civil forms, and standard petitions used in Washington County proceedings. For records requests, the dedicated records request page is at mdcourts.gov/clerks/washington/recordsrequests.
Getting Copies of Washington County Court Records
Plain copies are $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 plus $0.50 per page. Exemplified copies with triple seal for out-of-state use are $10.00 plus $0.50 per page. These are standard Maryland fees. Payment in person can be by cash, check, or money order. Check the clerk page for whether credit cards are accepted at this location.
For mail requests, send a written request to the Circuit Court Clerk at 24 Summit Avenue, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Include the case number (required since October 2020), the documents you need, your return address, and payment. Email requests can go to washcocc_clerk@mdcourts.gov. Call 301-733-8660 first if you need the fee amount confirmed before sending payment.
Electronic document access through MDEC is available at mdcourts.gov/mdec/efilingpublic. Set up a public access account to view electronically filed documents remotely. Public terminals for on-site access are available at the Hagerstown courthouse during business hours.
Cities in Washington County
All court filings for Washington County communities are handled at the Circuit and District Courts in Hagerstown. No cities in Washington County meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site.
Communities in Washington County include Hagerstown, Boonsboro, Smithsburg, Williamsport, Halfway, Funkstown, Clear Spring, and other towns and unincorporated areas spread across the county. All residents and businesses in Washington County file cases through the courthouse at 24 Summit Avenue in Hagerstown.
Nearby Counties
Washington County shares the 4th Judicial Circuit with two Western Maryland counties and borders several others. If a case was filed across the county line, use the links below to find the right court docket page.