Everything You Need to Know About Montgomery County MD Court(s)

What Courts Hear Criminal Cases in Montgomery County, MD?

If you or your loved one is facing criminal charges in Montgomery County, then the trial would likely take place at the county district or circuit court.

These two courts are the primary trial courts in Maryland, and they handle various civil and criminal cases. But sometimes their jurisdiction overlaps which could make things confusing for most people.

The information provided here can help you understand how both courts work as you prepare for your case and how to take advantage of their concurrent jurisdiction in criminal cases. Read on to get more insight into the Montgomery County court system.

Criminal Cases Heard by the Courts

The Montgomery County District Court handles cases that involve traffic violations, domestic violence, peace or protective orders, misdemeanors such as assault or theft, and certain felonies. The district court also handles preliminary hearings for felonies that will eventually be tried in circuit court. 

In contrast, the Montgomery County Circuit Court has jurisdiction over more serious criminal cases and felonies that can’t be heard by the district court, including:

• Murder

• Drug offenses

• Robbery

The Montgomery circuit and district courts have concurrent criminal jurisdiction where the penalty for the offense charged involves jail time for a minimum of three years or a minimum of a $2500 fine.

 Note that the district court does not conduct jury trials, so if your district court case falls within the concurrent jurisdiction of both courts and you feel that a jury trial would be better for your case, you can have it transferred to the circuit court. If you’re unsure how to proceed with this, you can ask an experienced criminal defense attorney for help.

How to Find Case Information in Montgomery County Courts

If you need to find information about a criminal case or criminal records in Montgomery, Maryland courts, you can utilize the Maryland Judiciary Case Search online platform. The case search portal allows you to search for case information across courts by county.

You can search for cases at any Maryland court via the platform in the following ways;

Search by the Name of a Party

If you want to search for a case by the name of one of the parties involved, you will need to provide the party’s last name, first name, and middle initial. You may also need to provide the case type and the county where the case was filed.

Search by Case Number

If you know the case number for the case you are looking for, you can search for it directly by entering the case number in the appropriate field.

Search by Filing Date

If you are searching for a case filed on a specific date, you can search for it by entering the filing date in the appropriate field.

Once you have found the case you are looking for, you can view limited case information, including the case title, the case type, the court location, and the case status.

  Sometimes, the information may not be available online or may be restricted due to privacy or security reasons. If this happens and you cannot get the specific information you require, you might need to visit the court in person to access the file.