Courts
ALERT: Circuit Court Response to Corona Virus COVID-19
Statewide Administrative Order Lifting the COVID-19 Health Emergency for the Maryland Judiciary
Administrative Order Regarding Postponement Policy for All Cases other than CINA/TPR Cases
Administrative Order Regarding Postponement Policy for only CINA/TPR Cases
Administrative Order Regarding Designation of Acting Administrative Judge
The Clerk of the Circuit Court located in each of Maryland's counties performs a variety of tasks for the Circuit Court including recording land deeds and issuing marriage licenses. Please visit the website of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Frederick County for more information.
For additional information pertaining to Maryland Courts, please visit the Maryland Judiciary website.
The Maryland Judiciary is comprised of 4 court levels: 2 trial courts and 2 appellate courts. The function of a trial court is to consider evidence in a case and to make judgments based on the facts and underlying law and legal precedent. This may result in the awarding of monetary damages or other relief in a civil case, or the imposition of imprisonment or fines in a criminal case.
Appellate courts review a trial court's actions and decisions in given cases and decide whether the trial judge properly followed the law and legal precedent. For jury trials, the appellate court may have to decide whether the jury's decision was proper, given the facts presented and the underlying law in the case. Generally, appellate courts do not decide which party won or lost a trial, nor do they conduct a new trial. Rather, they review the earlier trial and determine whether or not it was fair, according to the law. Read on...