How to Search Maryland Court Records (Start Here)

Maryland court records are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Circuit Court / District Court handles trial-level cases. Maryland offers a statewide court search through Maryland Judiciary Case Search, which covers most case types across all counties courts.

What this page covers: Maryland state court case records — criminal, civil, family, and probate filings. What it does not cover: Federal court cases (those are on PACER) or sealed/juvenile records.

Where to start: Use Maryland Judiciary Case Search for online case search. If you need documents beyond docket information, contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the specific county where the case was filed.

Common mistake: Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers state courts only. Federal cases filed in Maryland (bankruptcy, federal criminal, federal civil) require PACER — a separate federal system.

Trial court of general jurisdiction
Maryland Judiciary — Circuit Courts (official)
Highest court
Supreme Court of Maryland - Origin & Functions
Statewide civil case search
Court Records | Maryland Courts
Statewide criminal docket search
Portal Redirect
Federal courts
Maryland District Court | PACER: Federal Court Records
Number of counties
23 counties
Population
6,263,220
Households
2,293,800
Median Income
$100,045
Median Home Value
$396,900
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Maryland court URLs verified against the official .gov / state-judiciary publisher on the review date. 5 primary .gov / .uscourts.gov sources cited below.

Maryland Court Records — Key Numbers (FY2025)

The Maryland Judiciary Annual Caseload Dashboard is an interactive compilation of trial and appellate court data.
Maryland Judiciary
Court system
Statewide
FY2025
Latest fiscal year
Official .gov data
.gov
Primary source
Never data brokers
Free
Public access
Most case records
June 04, 2026
Last reviewed
By SearchSystems editorial
How to access court records — typical costs
Search online
$0
View docket entry
$0
Download document
$1
Certified copy
$5
Expungement filing
$50
Unit: USD typical fee. Fees and access policies vary by court; see Primary Sources below.

What Changed in 2026 — Maryland Court Records

2026
Maryland FY2025 caseload report active
The Maryland Judiciary publishes its current FY2025 case filings, dispositions, and trends on the official statistics portal.
2026
Maryland statewide case-access portal live
Maryland Judiciary's public case-access portal continues to operate at casesearch.courts.state.md.us with statewide coverage.
2026
Latest Maryland judiciary annual report
The most recent annual report from the Maryland Judiciary is publicly available with full statistical addenda.
2026
Maryland courts main directory
Maryland's primary judicial-branch directory at www.mdcourts.gov continues to be the canonical entry point for all state court matters.

The 4-Step Maryland Court Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Identify the court level
In Maryland, civil and criminal trial cases sit in Maryland Judiciary trial courts. Appellate matters go to the state's appellate courts.
2
Step 2 — Use the state case-access portal
Start at https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/ — the official public case-access for Maryland.
3
Step 3 — Federal cases are separate
Federal cases involving Maryland parties live on PACER (pacer.uscourts.gov), not the state system.
4
Step 4 — Sealed / expunged records
Records sealed or expunged under Maryland law are NOT searchable on public portals. To verify, contact the originating court clerk directly.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Maryland Court Records

❌ Myth: "Maryland court records are on PACER."
✓ Truth: False. PACER only has federal cases. Maryland state court records live on www.mdcourts.gov.
❌ Myth: "All Maryland case files are free."
✓ Truth: Partly true. Searching and viewing dockets is usually free. Downloading full documents or certified copies often costs $1-$5 per item.
❌ Myth: "Sealed = deleted in Maryland."
✓ Truth: False. Sealed records still exist — they're just hidden from public search. The court clerk and law enforcement can still access them.
❌ Myth: "Third-party search sites are official."
✓ Truth: False. Only www.mdcourts.gov and the linked official portals are authoritative for Maryland.
❌ Myth: "Same-day filings show online immediately."
✓ Truth: False. Most Maryland courts have a 24-48 hour processing lag before new filings appear in public search.

Primary Sources and Official Record Portals

Related Court Records Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Court records
Sample Maryland counties: Allegany · Anne Arundel · Baltimore · Calvert · Caroline

Court Records Databases

7 official Maryland court records sources.

Court Records Criminal Records Wants & Warrants Vital Records Voter Records Licenses Recorded Documents Property Records

Court Records

Maryland Appellate Court Opinions | Maryland Courts
Official Free
Pursuant to the Maryland Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act, §§ 10-1601 et seq. of the State Government Article, the opinions and orders posted on this webpage on or after July 1, 2018 are the official and authentic versions of the text of Appellate Court opinions and orders.
🌐 mdcourts.gov
Maryland Judiciary Business Licenses Online
Official Free
This website provides public access to the business licensing system of the Maryland Judiciary. Access to these records is governed by Maryland Rules 16-1001 through 16-1011, effective October 1, 2004.
🌐 jportal.mdcourts.gov
Maryland Register of Wills | Estate Search, Probate, & Information
Official Free
The Register of Wills is responsible for appointing personal representatives to administer decedents’ estates and for overseeing the proper and timely administration of these proceedings. We also perform the following duties: assist and advise the public in the preparation of all required forms; maintain and preserve the permanent record of all proceedings; serve as the Clerk to the Orphans’ Court; track estates and refer delinquent matters to the Court; determine and collect inheritance taxes and probate fees/court costs; audit accounts of personal representatives and guardians; mail…
🌐 registers.maryland.gov
Case Portal 1.1 - Case Search - Maryland Courts
Official Free
NOTICE: For existing Odyssey Portal users, before your first login here, please watch the video titled - "Training Video for New Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal" at E-filing - Attorneys | Maryland Courts
🌐 casesearch.courts.state.md.us
373 - Maryland Bankruptcy Court
Official Paid
EDGE is not a supported browser and using it may lead to unintended results. Please report any ECF slowness to Service Desk. The time and a one line description of your activity would be very helpful. New automation restrictions Employment Opportunities at the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland.
🌐 ecf.mdb.uscourts.gov
Uscourts
Official Paid
PACER Service Center (800) 676-6856 pacer@psc.uscourts.gov
🌐 ecf.mdd.uscourts.gov

Maryland Counties

All 24 Maryland counties. Click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Montgomery Baltimore Anne Arundel Howard Harford Frederick Carroll Allegany Calvert Caroline Cecil Charles Dorchester Garrett

Frequently Asked Questions

Maryland's trial courts publish case lookups through the Maryland Judiciary. Start at www.mdcourts.gov — most case dockets, filings, and hearing calendars are searchable by name, case number, or filing date. County-level clerks publish additional searches; see the cards below for direct county court links.

The Maryland Judiciary operates Maryland's official statewide judicial portal at www.mdcourts.gov. Basic case lookups are typically free of charge; certified copies and bulk-data exports may incur a per-document or per-search fee. Federal cases for Maryland residents are searched separately through PACER.

Trial courts in Maryland handle the original filing of civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Appellate courts review questions of law from trial-court decisions. The Maryland Judiciary publishes the full court structure, judge rosters, and jurisdiction maps at www.mdcourts.gov.

Online coverage varies by court and case type. Most Maryland county courts have digitized records from approximately the late 1990s or early 2000s forward; older case files may require an in-person clerk visit or a written record request. Check the Maryland Judiciary portal at www.mdcourts.gov for each court's coverage window.

No. Maryland courts redact or remove sealed, expunged, juvenile, and certain confidential records from public-facing searches as required by state statute and court rule. If a record was previously visible and has since been sealed, it will no longer appear in the Maryland Judiciary portal. For verification you can contact the county clerk where the case was filed.