Charles County Court Records

According to the Maryland Rules and Code, Charles County court records are official documents created by the county's courts, including administrative, case, business licensing, and notice records. Case files, docket entries, transcripts, rulings, orders, and other court-related papers are included in these records. They can be recorded on tapes, recorded on film or microfilm, written, digitized, or photographed. (Maryland Rules of Procedure Rule 16-901, and Maryland Code, General Provisions Article, Section 4-101(k)(1)(ii)).

The Charles County Circuit Court Clerk manages Charles County court records, which are open to the public and subject to privacy laws and confidentiality rules. The Charles County Judiciary keeps court records up to date to ensure accountability, transparency, and the proper execution of justice. These records provide a comprehensive synopsis of court cases, enabling the general public, legal professionals, and parties concerned to obtain information on case histories, decisions, and precedents.

Court records are kept to ensure adherence to state law, advance the justice system's equity, and support the resolution of legal disputes. They are also preserved for historical and research purposes and to promote the protection of the rule of law and the legal rights of county people and organizations.

Are Court Records Public in Charles County?

Court documents are considered public records in Charles County, Maryland. These records are available for public inspection under the Public Information Act (PIA) and the Maryland Rules; however, in some cases, all or a portion of the court records are restricted or kept confidential because of state, federal, or court orders, and can only be accessed by a designated person who has been granted permission. The following is a list of Charles County records that are protected by Maryland Rules 16-905–16-907 and Chapter 3 of the Maryland PIA from public disclosure:

• Documents that are protected from public access by federal, state, or court orders.
• Case files pertaining to minors or juveniles.
• Records pertaining to family law, including adoption and domestic abuse of adults and children.
• Records of finances and medical history are kept private.
• Case files pertaining to a subpoena for investigation.
• A case file that has been deleted.
• The application, supporting affidavit, and warrant are all kept confidential until the warrant is executed and the paperwork is submitted to the clerk.
• Any information that could jeopardize an ongoing investigation, such as the name of an informant, is considered confidential.
• Personal information, including federal tax identification numbers and social security numbers, is kept confidential both during and after court cases.

Charles County Court Records Search

Public court records in Charles County, Maryland are available from a number of sources. They are as follows:

• Clerk's Office of Charles County Circuit Court.
• The online case search tool for the Maryland judiciary.
• Charles County District Court, Maryland.
• The State Archives of Maryland.
• Website of the Charles County Government.
• Services on third-party websites.

Charles County Court Records Search by Name

Anybody interested in a name search may request them from the Court Clerk's Office. Name-based requests may be submitted in person by visiting the clerk's office and providing the name to the personnel there, or they can be submitted online using the public office terminal access point.

Interested parties may perform a name-based search on the Maryland Judiciary Case Search website, which provides remote access to court records. The advanced search option can obtain more precise and improved results, but it requires the user to provide the record subject's first and last name.

This case search facility provides statewide coverage of the judiciary. Case files from the Maryland Circuit Court and District Court, both criminal and civil, are available. Requests, appeals, attorney complaints, and matters pertaining to judicial disability before the Maryland Supreme Court are all available. Applications for appeal, cases from the Maryland Appellate Court, and other cases are available.

Charles County Courts

The trial court system in Maryland comprises District Courts, Circuit Courts, Orphans' Courts, and Tax Courts. District Courts and Orphans' Courts have limited jurisdiction, while Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. Circuit Courts typically handle cases that fall outside the purview of other courts, while District Courts handle specific types of criminal and civil cases, and Orphans' Courts handle specific types of guardianship and probate cases. Charles County court locations and contact information are as follows:

Charles County Circuit Court
Charles County Courthouse
200 Charles St
La Plata, MD 20646
Phone: (301) 932-3201

Charles County District Court
Charles County Courthouse
11 Washington Ave, P.O. Box 3070
La Plata, MD 20646
Phone: (301) 934-5110

Charles County Orphans' Court
Charles County Courthouse
11 Washington Ave, P.O. Box 3080, La Plata, MD 20646
Phone: (301) 932-3345
Fax: (301) 932-3349

Charles County Superior Court Case Search

In Maryland, Charles County does not have a "Superior Court". Rather, the county operates a Circuit Court that functions as the principal trial court with broad authority. The Circuit Court hears appeals from the District Court and administrative bodies, as well as significant civil cases, criminal cases, and family law issues.

To get court records from the Circuit Court, interested parties may submit requests in person, by mail, or online to the clerk's office.

To submit their requests directly to the clerk, applicants can visit the clerk's office or use the public terminal access terminal provided by the office. A search based on a name or a case number can be conducted. Note that although the public may access these data for free in compliance with Maryland Code, there are costs for obtaining copies of the requested records and these may vary based on the type of request and quantity of copies made available.

Interested parties may also obtain case records from the circuit court by filling out the request form and mailing it to.

200 Charles Street,
La Plata,
Maryland 20646.

Interested persons may also search Circuit Court case records online via the Maryland Judiciary Case Search website. This tool allows users to look up court records for individuals and businesses using case numbers or name searches. Inquirers may search free by entering details like names, case types, filling dates, court system categories, and other particulars.

Charles County District Court Records

Charles County's District Court handles traffic infractions, landlord-tenant disputes, replevin actions, misdemeanor and some felonies, as well as civil proceedings with a maximum value of $30,000. Jury trials are not held in the District Court.

To obtain District Court documents, interested parties must complete the required forms, pay the associated costs, and submit their request by mail or in person at the following office address:

11 Washington Avenue,
P.O. Box 3070,
LaPlata, Maryland
20646-3070.

For further inquiries, requesters may call the following phone lines:

For General Information: (301) 934-5110

The Toll-Free Number (In-state only): (800) 943463

County Clerk: (301) 934-5037

Charles County Criminal Records

According to Maryland law and the Public Information Act, the public has access to some criminal data in Charles County, such as Charles county arrest records, incident/accident reports, warrants, and certain other details. This suggests that law enforcement agencies, such as police departments and sheriff's offices, that maintain these records must provide them to the public upon request.

In addition, the Maryland Code's Section 10-201 designates the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) as the state's primary clearing house for criminal history records. Furthermore, Maryland Code Section 10-219 states that criminal history records can only be obtained by authorized individuals and organizations. According to this, criminal history records may only be disclosed to criminal justice organizations for their use, to the individual for whom the record is intended, and to other parties as required by law.

Persons seeking to examine criminal history information from CJIS would need to provide fingerprint cards and pay the applicable costs, depending on the type of request. All payments can be made with checks or credit cards (Master Card, Visa, and Discover). The Central Repository does not take cash or money orders.

Charles County Criminal Court Case Lookup

The Clerk's Office is tasked with maintaining all case records because the Circuit Court hears criminal cases in Charles County. To access these documents, interested persons may contact them via mail, in person, or online.

How to Get Charles County Civil Court Records

With a few exceptions, cases involving demands for damages greater than $30,000 are filed with the Circuit Court and heard in the civil court of Charles County. In most situations, the District Court shares concurrent jurisdiction with it regarding claims for amounts between $5,000 and $30,000. Additional matters include District Court appeals, name changes, guardianships, adoptions, paternity actions, property titles, foreclosures, injunctions, and judicial review of administrative agency judgments.

To request access to these records, interested parties may contact the Circuit Court or District Court in person, via mail, or online.

Charles County Family Court Records

Family law cases involve domestic relations concerns such as divorce, guardianship, child support, alimony, paternity, and name changes. The Maryland Circuit Court for Charles County handles these cases.

To obtain Charles county family court records, interested parties may contact the clerk's office via phone, mail, in-person, or online. However, a court order may be necessary to access information related to juvenile and adoption cases. To obtain access to these records, a requester must first fill out a form and pay the associated costs.

Family Magistrates Office
200 Charles Street
La Plata, Maryland 20646
Phone: (1): (301) 932-3279
Phone: (2): (301) 932-3431
Phone: (3): (301) 932-3413

Charles Dissolution of Marriage Records

Charles County's dissolution of marriage records encompasses all the paperwork required to finalize a divorce procedure within county limits. These records are often accessible through the county circuit court where the divorce was filed and the decree obtained.

Charles County Marriage and Divorce Records

The Maryland Department of Health's Division of Vital Statistics and the Circuit Court Office are principally responsible for maintaining marriage and divorce records in Charles County.

Interested persons may request a certified copy of marriage records by mail or by obtaining one from the Clerk's Office. Send the request, along with the names of the parties and the date of marriage, to the Circuit Court Clerk at the Circuit Court for Charles County at:

Marriage Records Department,
200 Charles Street,
LaPlata, Maryland 20646.

A cheque or money order payable to "Clerk of Court" for $5.50 for the certified copy and $.50 per page for the copy fee. Charles County marriage records dating back to 1886 are also accessible at the courthouse. Previous unions are searchable at the Annapolis Hall of Records, located at 350 Rowe Boulevard. Phone: (410) 260-6400 or (800) 235-4045.

The Division of Vital Statistics also provides copies of marriage certificates obtained on or after January 1, 2007, to people who meet the requirements. Inquirers may request these certificates online, by postal mail, or in person. Before shipping the request form to the Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036, applicants must complete it and pay the applicable costs.

Divorce records consist of certificates and decrees. For data from 1992 to the present, the Division of Vital Statistics only provides what are known as divorce verifications. The county circuit court can be reached at the above-mentioned address to view these records.

Members of the public may also access earlier marriage and divorce records kept at the Maryland State Archives.

Charles County Birth and Death Records

The Charles County Local Health Department and the Division of Vital Statistics of the Maryland Department of Health maintain all birth and death information relating to Charles County. Interested parties may contact any of these agencies by mail, in person, or online for certified or uncertified copies of these records.

Walk-in services are not available at the vital records office of the Charles County Department of Health. Appointment-only outdoor pick-up and drop-off services are now offered. The Charles County Department of Health can be reached through the Annex Building information window for the Maryland Birth Certificate Application and the Maryland Death Certificate Application. Vital Records is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. To inquire about Vital Records, please contact (301) 609-6919. The present costs are as follows: Birth Certificates: $25.00 per, Death Certificates: $25.00 per, the first copy, and an extra $20.00 per copy of the same certificate are charged.

Interested parties can fill out the request forms for either birth or death certificates, or they can visit the office lobby at 201 W. Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-2399, during business hours, to obtain records from the Division of Vital Statistics. Interested parties may use the VitalCheck service for online requests. The mailing address for applications is:

Division of Vital Records,
P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore,
MD 21215-0036

The Maryland State Archives also has older death and birth records (spanning more than 100 years, from the mid-1800s to 1924) available.

Charles County Probate Court Records

Charles County, Maryland, probate court records are mostly concerned with estate administration, which includes trusts, wills, and the disposition of a deceased person's possessions. Probate petitions, estate inventories, inheritance lists, and final accountings are some examples of these documents. After debts and taxes are settled, the remaining assets are distributed in accordance with the terms of the will—or, in the absence of a will, the state law—through the probate process.

The Register of Wills, which keeps track of these documents, can be contacted to get probate court records in Charles County. Requests can be sent via mail, their website, or in person. To help with the search, it is crucial to include specifics like the deceased's name and the estimated date of death. Additionally, some records can be accessible online via the digital copies or indexes of probate documents provided by the Maryland State Archives or the online Estate Search site of the Register of Wills.

Charles County Property Records

In Charles County, Maryland, property records can be accessed to learn important details regarding real estate transactions, property ownership, assessments, and taxes. The Clerk of the Circuit Court can provide access to these records, kept up to date by the Department of Land Records of the Charles County Government.

These records contain various information, such as land surveys, mortgages, liens, and property deeds. Property ownership transfers are documented in deeds, but liens and mortgages show any obligations or claims made against the property. Tax records and property assessments provide information about the worth of the property and the amount of taxes due. The Department of Assessment and Taxation maintains these records and has an online portal where people can search real property data.

Interested persons may obtain property records by going to the Department of Land Records at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in person or by using online resources such as mdlandrec.net. provided by the Maryland State Archives, which provides digital access to many documents. To make the search process go more quickly, it is best to have particular information, like the owner's name or the address of the property. Certain providers could charge for comprehensive reports or need registration.

Charles County Court Records Online

A convenient way to obtain court records in Charles County, Maryland, is through third-party online resources like Marylandcourtrecords.us. These platforms compile public records from multiple sources and offer users a seamless option for obtaining details on court cases, legal filings, and judicial decisions.

These online services benefit from time efficiency and accessibility. Users can easily retrieve records without visiting a courthouse. Additionally, they provide a consolidated database, which facilitates the retrieval of records from several Maryland counties.