What are Maryland Family Court Records?

Maryland family court records are documents containing information regarding the legal processes of family courts within the state’s jurisdiction. These records typically include details of family-related cases as well as court actions, motions, judgments, and decrees consequently issued by the circuit courts following a hearing or trial. These may include Maryland marriage records, divorce records, and documents pertaining to child custody and support. Pursuant to Maryland public record laws, family court records may be made available to interested and eligible persons upon request. However, the eligibility requirements for accessing family court records may vary depending on the record custodian and the document of interest.

What Cases are Heard by Maryland Family Courts?

Maryland family courts are civil courts of limited jurisdiction tasked with attending to matters relating to family-related suits and conflict. Essentially, these courts exercise jurisdiction over families in the state, hearing cases pertaining to marriages and divorces, juvenile delinquency, child adoption, custody, guardianship, and emancipation as well as domestic abuse, civil protection orders and cases involving wills, trusts and financial settlements (like alimony and child support). As defined by Maryland statutes, family courts may also provide interventions as well as determine court-appointed guardianships.

The judicial system of Maryland consists of 12 judicial districts in which there are 34 district courts and 8 districts in which there are state circuit courts. While the Maryland district courts are the state’s lowest trial courts, Maryland circuit courts are the state’s trial courts of general jurisdiction. Thus, most family court cases begin at the circuit court level and may proceed to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals or the Maryland Court of Appeals where the plaintiff/defendant challenges the verdict. Generally, family court records are managed by court administrators of the various state circuit courts and appellate courts.

What is Included in Maryland Family Court Records?

Maryland family court records are generally designed to provide information regarding a case, the court proceedings of the trial as well as the verdict. As such, most records typically feature general case information as well as the personal information of the plaintiff/defendant, the place and date the case was filed along with court motions and actions and filed evidence.

Along with the final judgment of the court, most records indicate penalties and financial settlements and agreements including alimony, child support, and personal injury settlements. Where legal separation, child custody or visitation, and court protective orders are being contested, the conditions for these arrangements are often indicated. If any of the parties are held in contempt during the trial, details of any penalties including a jail term or community service is also included in the record.

Are Family Court Records Public in Maryland?

Following the provisions of Maryland’s public record laws, family court records are generated and disseminated by designated court custodians. Record custodians are tasked providing access to these court records with only a few exceptions.

Given Maryland judicial records laws, the following information is confidential, and will not be made available to persons lacking the required legal authorities:

• Most records containing the personal information of a minor or juvenile
• Adoption records, child services records
• The personal and contact information of an abuse victim
• Records of juvenile delinquency
• All records that include the financial information of the parties involved including statements filed regarding spousal/child support and income tax returns
• Records containing mental health evaluations, medical conditions of a disabled adult
• Reports relating to the property of a disabled adult, some marriage license information as well as guardianship records (specifically if it includes termination of parental rights)

All persons seeking the aforementioned information as well as confidential or shielded records must be authorized by a court order/subpoena. Otherwise, the requestor must be a law enforcement agent or the subject of, or attorney to the subject(s) of the record of interest.

How Do I Get Family Court Records in Maryland?

The state of Maryland provides a variety of resources with which interested and eligible persons can access public family court records. While access to some records requires that the requesting party make an oral or written request to the custodian of the record, other records deemed public by the state’s record laws can be accessed electronically without any permissions. Generally, interested members of the public may view and/or obtain copies of Maryland family court records by:

• Using state-managed public-access online resources
• Making in-person queries to the record custodian
• Sending mail-in requests to the appropriate courthouse
• Using third-party aggregation sites

Family Court Records can include marriage records and Maryland divorce records. These records contain personal information of those involved and their maintenance is critical should anyone involved wish to make changes. Because of this both marriage and divorce records can be considered more difficult to locate and obtain than other public records, and may not be available through government sources or third party public record websites.

How to Obtain Maryland Family Court Records Online

The judiciary of Maryland operates a variety of online resources with which interested persons can use to obtain family court records. This includes the state Case Search Tool, which provides public access to records generated by the district and circuit courts, the MdLandRec.net and Plats.net, which offers online access to land record documents and plans maintained by the state judiciary and Maryland state archives. However, all family court records can be obtained using the Case Search Tool.

While most judicial jurisdictions of the state operate independent online repositories, the Case Search Tool allows for state-wide searches for case records of the Maryland judiciary. To obtain records using the search engine, users must furnish the tool with the information required to facilitate the search. This includes the names of the parties involved in the suit as well as the county where the case was filed, the filing date (or date range) and/or the case number of the record.

In addition to finding court case information, interested persons may also view case verdicts and liens using the Maryland Judiciary Judgement and Liens. This will also require the full names of the plaintiff or defendant as well as the name of the county where the case was filed and the date on which the suit was filed.

While general case information may be accessed using these online resources, all cases, records, and information protected by the Maryland Rules on Access to Court Records are excluded from the Case Search. To obtain restricted information, eligible requestors must make in-person requests to the record custodian. However, while family court records can be obtained using the online resources at no cost, other record retrieval options may attract a nominal fee.

Publicly available records are accessible from some third-party websites. These websites offer the benefit of not being limited by geographical record availability and can often serve as a starting point when researching specific or multiple records. To find a record using the search engines on these sites, interested parties must provide:

• The name of someone involved, providing it is not a juvenile
• The assumed location of the record in question such as a city, county, or state name

Third party sites are not government sponsored websites, and record availability may differ from official channels.

How to Make In-Person Requests for Maryland Family Records

In-person record requests are especially recommended for obtaining full family court records including information that is confidential or sealed. To obtain family court records from a Maryland court, the requesting party is required to verify the location of the court in which the suit was filed and the case was heard. Once confirmed, requestors are advised to contact the office of the clerk of courts for information regarding any unique record retrieval requirements. In most cases, requestors will be required to provide relevant details of the case including the names of the parties involved, the case file number or docket number of the record and the place/date when the record was filed. Where the desired record is confidential/sealed, the requesting party may also be required to provide legal authority to access the record such as a court order or subpoena.

To make the request in person, most courts require that the requestor schedule an appointment with the custodian beforehand. In addition to the case information required to facilitate record searches, requestors may be required to arrive at the appointment with a government-issued ID and payment to cover any associated search/copy costs. Most in-person record requests can be processed within minutes/hours of the query.

For information regarding courthouses in various judicial districts of the state, interested persons may use the Directory of Maryland Appellate, Circuit, District and Orphans’ Courts available on the Maryland courts website.

How to Access Maryland Family Court Records via Mail

An alternative to making in-person requests to the record custodian, Maryland family court records can also be requested via mail. This also requires locating the courthouse where the case was filed/heard, and obtaining relevant information regarding their retrieval processes and requirements. Usually, the requesting party will be required to prepare a written request which should indicate the type of document required as well as details of the suit such as the full names of the plaintiff and defendant, the case/docket number of the record and the place and date where the case was filed. In some cases, the court clerk’s office will provide a downloadable record request form which can be substituted for the written request.

Along with the completed and notarized form or written request, the requestor may also be required to enclose any appropriate fees, a copy of a government-issued photo-ID and a self-addressed envelope. This should be alongside any unique requirements for accessing the record such as a court order/ subpoena, proof of relationship documents or written authorities from the subject(s) of the record, permitting the requestor to access the record.

Specialized Family Court Records

In addition to generating and disseminating records of family court cases such as trial transcripts and details of court actions, motions, and judgments, Maryland Family courts also maintain a variety of court decrees and records. These documents provide legal proof of legal separation and divorce, alimony, adoption, child custody, and support agreements as well as authorization for will execution and staking claims for trusts and settlements. Like court records, some of these documents may be made available to interested and eligible persons. However, the eligibility requirements for these decrees and documents generally differs depending on the confidentiality of the information it contains

How to Obtain Maryland Adoption Records

While adoption records are generally confidential in the state of Maryland, the state’s Department of Human Services may provide these records to selected persons. Persons eligible to access these records include:

• The biological parents of the adoptee
• The adoptive parents involved
• The adoptee themselves (if they are of legal adult age)

A court order or subpoena may also be issued for the record if it becomes relevant for legal or financial purposes.

In addition to this, the Maryland DHS operates a Search Contact and Reunion Services program which allows interested adoptees or birth relatives separated at birth to reconnect. The program comprises two components—the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry (MCVAR) and Search Services. Using the registry, birth parents and siblings can find adult adoptees who have opted to be included in the public registry. However, it is with the Search Service that the adoptee can be identified and located. This can be done using the adoption record which the state DHS can locate from the adoption agency or independent lawyer that facilitated the adoption. When an adoptee and their birth parents/siblings are verified, the reunion process is carried out by a Confidential Intermediary who is assigned by the state DHS.

How Do I Access Divorce Records in Maryland

Maryland divorce records are primarily maintained and issued by the office of the court clerk of the Circuit Court where the decree was granted. However, the Maryland State Department of Health also performs a few divorce-related functions, including the verification of annulments and divorces. In Maryland, the only persons eligible to access divorce records are those named on the record, a verified representative of either party or the legal counsels of the former spouses, and other persons whom a legal order has authorized. (This requirement may vary depending on the judicial district where the decree was issued).

To obtain a divorce record, the requesting party must prepare a written request stating relevant details of the record, including the names of the spouses (before and after the decree), the place and date the suit was filed, and the case file number of the record. All requests may then be made via mail or in person at the office of the court clerk of the issuing court.

Both government websites and organizations may offer divorce and marriage records. Similarly, third-party public record websites can provide these types of records. However, because third-party organizations are not operated or sponsored by the government, record availability may vary. Further, marriage and divorce records are considered highly private and are often sealed, meaning availability of these types of records cannot be guaranteed.