Saint Marys County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Established in 1637, St. Mary's is considered the first county in Maryland. Its name originated in honor of Jesus' mother's name Mary. There are Over 113,814 people who call this county home and its county seat is Leonardtown. In St. Mary's County, the justice system is administered by three courts which are the Circuit Court, the District Court, and the Orphan's Court.

Located in Leonardtown, the Circuit Court exercises jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, domestic violence, and civil actions in which the amount in dispute is $30,000 or more. In addition, this court presides over proceedings relating to divorce, child custody matters, child support, child protection, termination of parental rights, as well as, all juvenile matters. Matters within the authority of the District Court include civil claims of up to $30,000, landlord-tenant disputes, misdemeanor offenses, traffic matters, and municipal ordinance violations. The court also handles certain felony and replevin cases. The Orphans' Court specializes in probate and guardianship matters.

In 2022, 221 violent crime offenses per 100,000 people were reported in St. Mary's County. Each year, over 300 felony cases are filed in the Circuit Court. The District Court, on the other hand, handles approximately 7,000 criminal and traffic cases annually. Each court has a Clerk who is responsible for maintaining all of the records that are generated in that court. These records are accessible to members of the public in digital format. Records of the Circuit and District Courts can be accessed on the Maryland Case Search Portal. All records are maintained and kept up to date in order to provide proper information to the citizens of St. Mary's County. To access records of the Orphan's Court, researchers have to contact the courthouse for copies. However, confidential records such as those relating to juvenile and adoption cases are not open to the public. If further assistance is required to access sealed records, a visit with the Court Clerk can be made and special permission requested. Only authorized personnel has the ability to access sealed records and at times they may require another court order.

In summary, the Circuit Court, District Court, and Orphan's Court constitute the justice system in St. Mary's County. The court handles a wide range of cases, helping residents effectively resolve their disputes and access justice. St. Mary's courts also prioritize transparency by granting public access to all non-confidential court records.