Anne Arundel County was created in 1650 and named after Lady Baltimore, the wife of Cecilius Calvert, founder of the colony Province of Maryland. Annapolis is the county seat and also doubles as the capital of the state of Maryland. Anna Arundel County has a population of over half a million and a total area of 588 square miles, of which 29% is covered by water.

Courts in Anne Arundel County

The following are the courts in Anne Arundel County:

• The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County is the highest court in the county. It hears serious criminal cases and civil cases involving more than $30,000 claims. It also hears family law, domestic violence, and juvenile cases.
• The Anne Arundel County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction located in Annapolis and Glen Burnie. It does not conduct jury trials and can handle civil cases with claims under $30,000. It can also hear vehicle and boating violations, landlord-tenant relations, misdemeanors, and peace order petitions.
• The Anne Arundel County Orphan’s Court hears most probate matters, some land-related matters, and guardianship of minors.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Anne Arundel County

The Anne Arundel Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains and stores all records generated in the county from the Circuit and District courts. The Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court makes public court records available online via the Maryland Judicial Case Search portal. Members of the public can also visit the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office or mail a request for copies of these records. It costs $0.50 per page to copy court records and an additional $2 per copy for each request handled by mail in Anne Arundel County.

Types of Public Court Records in Anne Arundel County

Unless sealed by court orders, Anne Arundel County makes the following types of court records available to the public:

• Criminal Court Records: includes court proceedings for misdemeanors and felonies
• Family Court Records: including divorce, annulment, spousal support, and paternity cases
• Civil Court Records: includes professional malpractices, real property, personal injury cases, product liability, and mortgage foreclosures
• Probate Court Records: includes wills, estates, trusts, and guardianships

Confidential Court Records

Confidential court records in Anne Arundel County are records sealed by Maryland law or by court orders. Generally, court records are open to the public in Maryland; however, the following are usually excluded from public access:

• Juvenile delinquency
• Adoption records
• Cases involving domestic violence
• Emergency mental health evaluations
• Cases resulting in dismissal or acquittal
• Certain felonies and misdemeanors after a period of time
• Cases where a defendant receives Probation Before Judgment
• Identifying information about jurors
• Custody cases
• Unexecuted warrants and summons
• Guardianship to terminate parental rights
• Report filed by a guardian about the property of an alleged disabled adult
• Action for declaration of gender identity
• Records related to victims of domestic violence
• Records of proceedings under the Maryland Mental Health Act
• Records of proceedings under the Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Act

Moreover, parts or all of an Anne Arundel County court record may be sealed if it contains the following sensitive information:

• Social Security number
• Income tax return
• Medical and mental health records
• Individual or corporate tax records
• Intellectual proprietary

Juvenile Delinquency in Anne Arundel, MD

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Anne Arundel County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Maryland often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 515 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Anne Arundel County. Of that total, 95% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 488 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Anne Arundel County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Anne Arundel County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Anne Arundel County, MD

https://www.maryland.gov/

County Seat:	Annapolis
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1650
Total Square Miles:	588
2019 Population:	573,235
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	7 Church Cir County Courthouse Annapolis , MD 21401-1935 http://www.aacounty.org/

Anne Arundel County, MD Courts