ℹ️New Portal Launched March 14, 2026: Maryland Judiciary has redesigned and integrated the existing Case Search and Record Search into a new unified Case Search & Record Portal. All public access levels remain the same.
Updated April 2026 • All 23 Counties + Baltimore City • Free Official Portal
Maryland Court Case Search:
Official Online Lookup Guide
Official Online Lookup Guide
Search Maryland court cases by name or case number — completely free. The official Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers District Court and Circuit Court records across all 23 counties and Baltimore City. Criminal, civil, traffic, family, landlord/tenant — every case type in one portal. This guide walks you through every step, explains what you’ll find, and shows you exactly how to read the results.
FREE
Online Search
24
Jurisdictions
34
Court Locations
8
Judicial Circuits
Section 01
What Is Maryland Court Case Search?
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the official, free public portal for accessing court case records from both the District Court and Circuit Court across all 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City. It is operated by the Maryland Judiciary at casesearch.courts.state.md.us.
🆕 March 14, 2026 Update: Maryland launched a new Case Search & Record Portal that integrates the old Maryland Case Search with the Maryland Judiciary Record Search into a single redesigned platform. Public access levels remain the same. A training video for attorneys is available on the e-filing section of mdcourts.gov.
What Records Can You Find?
| Case Type | Court | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal | District & Circuit | Felonies, misdemeanors, DUI/DWI, drug offenses, assault |
| Civil | District & Circuit | Lawsuits, contract disputes, personal injury, debt collection |
| Traffic | District Court | Speeding, red light, suspended license, hit and run |
| Family Law | Circuit Court | Divorce, custody, child support, protective orders |
| Landlord/Tenant | District Court (exclusive) | Evictions, rent disputes, failure to pay rent |
| Domestic Violence | District & Circuit | Protective orders, peace orders |
| Juvenile | Circuit Court (limited access) | Delinquency cases — restricted to authorized parties |
ℹ️ Important: Maryland Case Search uses CAPTCHA verification to prevent automated scraping. You must complete the CAPTCHA each session. Non-profit legal service providers needing alternative access can email casesearchhelp@mdcourts.gov.
Section 02
How to Search Maryland Court Cases — Step by Step
Search by Name
- Go to the official portal: casesearch.courts.state.md.us
- Accept the disclaimer agreement — required every session. Click “I Agree.”
- Enter the last name (required). First name is optional but recommended for common surnames. The system defaults to exact name matches only.
- For partial name searches: Type at least the first character followed by the % symbol. Example: Smi% matches Smith, Smithson, Smitley. The % cannot be used at the beginning or middle of words.
- Complete the CAPTCHA verification to prove you are not a robot.
- Review results: Case number, case type, court location, filing date, party names, charges (criminal), claim amounts (civil), and disposition. Click any case number for full details.
Search by Case Number
- Select the “Case Number” search tab on the Case Search portal.
- Enter the full case number. Format varies by court: Circuit Court civil cases use formats like C-02-CV-24-000123. District Court cases use different prefixes.
- Click Search to view the complete case record — all parties, charges/claims, hearing dates, judgments, and related filings.
💡 Pro Tips: Narrow results by selecting a specific county from the dropdown. If a name search returns too many results, add the date of birth field. Results can be sorted by filing date to find the most recent cases first.
Section 03
Maryland Court System — District Court vs. Circuit Court
| Feature | District Court | Circuit Court |
|---|---|---|
| Locations | 34 locations in 12 districts | 24 courthouses (23 counties + Baltimore City) |
| Jury Trials | ✗ No jury trials | ✓ Jury and bench trials |
| Criminal | Misdemeanors, certain felonies | Serious felonies, all criminal appeals |
| Civil Jurisdiction | Exclusive: ≤$5,000. Concurrent: $5,001–$30,000 | All civil amounts, major lawsuits |
| Family Law | Domestic violence orders | Divorce, custody, child support, juvenile |
| Traffic | ✓ All traffic violations | Appeals from District Court |
| Landlord/Tenant | ✓ Exclusive jurisdiction | Appeals only |
| Self-Help Centers | ✓ 10 free locations + phone + chat | Varies by county |
📞 District Court Self-Help Centers — FREE
FREE LEGAL HELPTalk with a lawyer for FREE at a District Court Help Center. Available in-person in Baltimore City, Catonsville, Cambridge, Frederick, Glen Burnie, Hagerstown, La Plata, Rockville, Salisbury, and Upper Marlboro. Can’t walk in?
Phone(410) 260-1392
Live ChatAvailable at courts.state.md.us/district during business hours
Section 04
Maryland Court Locations — Key Contacts
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City Circuit Court | 100 N Calvert St, Baltimore 21202 | (410) 333-3722 |
| Anne Arundel Circuit Court | 8 Church Circle, Annapolis 21401 | (410) 222-1397 |
| Montgomery District Court | 27 Courthouse Square, Rockville 20850 | (240) 561-4750 |
| Prince George’s District Court | 14735 Main St, Upper Marlboro 20772 | (301) 952-4080 |
| Howard County Circuit Court | 8360 Court Ave, Ellicott City 21043 | (410) 313-2111 |
| District Court HQ (Annapolis) | 187 Harry S. Truman Pkwy, Annapolis 21401 | (410) 260-1525 |
| Appellate Court of Maryland | 361 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis 21401 | (410) 260-1450 |
| Supreme Court of Maryland | 361 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis 21401 | (410) 260-1500 |
📍 Maryland Judicial Center (District Court HQ) — 187 Harry S. Truman Pkwy, Annapolis, MD 21401 · Phone: (410) 260-1525
💡 All Maryland courts: Hours 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday (except legal holidays). Full directory with map: mdcourts.gov/courtsdirectory
Section 05
Why Some Records Are Missing — Maryland Automatic Suppressions
If you search a name and charges appear to be missing, it’s deliberate, not a glitch. Maryland law automatically removes certain records from public view.
Records Automatically Suppressed
- 🔒Acquittals, dismissals, nolle prosequi (since 2020, HB 1336) — entire case suppressed if all charges qualify
- 🔒Cannabis possession as only charge, disposed before July 1, 2023 (HB 837, 2022)
- 🔒Pardoned cannabis charges — removed per Expungement Reform Act of 2025 (SB 432 / HB 499)
- 🔒Stet charges older than 3 years — removed per Expungement Reform Act of 2025
- 🔒4th degree burglary expungements (HB 1336, 2020)
- 🔒District Court marijuana-only cases disposed before October 1, 2014 (HB 83 / SB 314, 2020)
- 🔒“Unit charge” removals — if eligible charges in a “unit” (same incident) are expunged, those charges disappear from the sequential list
ℹ️ Missing Charge Numbers Are Intentional: If a case shows charges numbered 1, 4, and 5 (skipping 2 and 3), this reflects lawful expungement of the removed charges. The gaps are deliberate per Maryland Code, Criminal Procedure, §10-107.
Section 06
E-Filing & Additional Maryland Court Resources
📄 MDEC E-Filing System
ELECTRONIC FILINGMaryland uses the MDEC (Maryland Electronic Courts) system for electronic filing. Mandatory for attorneys in many counties. Self-represented litigants can also e-file in participating jurisdictions.
🏠 MdLandRec — Land Records
PROPERTYOnline access to Maryland land record documents — deeds, mortgages, liens. Provided by the Maryland Judiciary and State Archives.
⚖ Civil Judgment Data
SUBSCRIPTIONCivil judgment and satisfaction data in the District Court is available on a subscription basis. Contact the Maryland Judiciary for access.
Section 07
Insider Tips for Maryland Court Case Search
- 💡Use the % wildcard for partial name searches — “Jon%” matches Jones, Jonathan, Jonas
- 💡% cannot be at the beginning or middle of a word — only at the end
- 💡Select a specific county from the dropdown to narrow results dramatically
- 💡Note the court type abbreviations: SCM = Supreme Court of Maryland (formerly COA). These changed December 14, 2022.
- 💡If inaccurate information appears, the disclaimer page provides instructions for submitting corrections to the Maryland Judiciary
- 💡Background checks for employment should use the official Maryland State Police Criminal Background Check — not Case Search, which is not FCRA-compliant
- 💡The new portal (March 2026) has the same data as before but a redesigned interface — if you used the old system, the search works the same way
Section 08
Frequently Asked Questions
Go to casesearch.courts.state.md.us — the official Maryland Judiciary portal. It’s completely free, no account needed. Enter the last name (use % for partial matches) and complete the CAPTCHA. Covers all District Court and Circuit Court cases across Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.
The official portal is casesearch.courts.state.md.us, operated by the Maryland Judiciary. On March 14, 2026, the portal was redesigned and integrated with the Maryland Judiciary Record Search into a new unified Case Search & Record Portal. The URL and public access remain the same.
Yes. Enter the last name (required) and optionally the first name. The system defaults to exact name matches. For partial searches, type at least the first character followed by a % symbol (e.g., “Smi%” matches Smith, Smithson, etc.). The % cannot be at the beginning or middle.
Criminal cases, civil lawsuits, traffic violations, family law (divorce, custody, child support), domestic violence protective orders, landlord/tenant disputes, and replevin actions. Both District Court and Circuit Court records are included. Juvenile records have restricted access.
Maryland law automatically suppresses: acquittals/dismissals/nolle prosequi (since 2020), cannabis possession before July 2023, pardoned cannabis charges, stet charges older than 3 years (2025 law), and expunged unit charges. Missing charge numbers are deliberate and lawful — not a system error.
District Court: No jury trials. Handles traffic, misdemeanors, small civil (≤$30,000), landlord/tenant. 34 locations in 12 districts. Circuit Court: Jury trials. Handles felonies, major civil, family law, juvenile cases, appeals. 24 courthouses. Both searchable through the same portal.
Free District Court Self-Help Centers are in 10 locations: Baltimore City, Catonsville, Cambridge, Frederick, Glen Burnie, Hagerstown, La Plata, Rockville, Salisbury, Upper Marlboro. Call (410) 260-1392 or use live chat at mdcourts.gov during business hours (8:30 AM – 4:30 PM).
Yes, through the MDEC (Maryland Electronic Courts) system at mdcourts.gov/mdec. Mandatory for attorneys in many counties. Self-represented litigants can e-file in participating jurisdictions. Technical support available through Tyler Technologies.
Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Court records are governed by the Maryland Rules on Access to Court Records (Rules 16-901 through 16-912). For free legal assistance, call (410) 260-1392.