Garrett County, the westernmost county in Maryland, is the state's second-largest county by land mass. Located within the Appalachian mountains, the county has 18,407 housing units with an average household income of $64,447.  It has a population of 28,806 and a total area of 649.1 square miles. Its county seat is Oakland.

Courts in Garrett County

Garrett County is served by the Circuit Court, District Court, and Orphan’s Court. The Garrett Circuit Court is a court of general jurisdiction within the 4th Circuit. It conducts jury trials and hears all criminal and civil cases. It handles domestic-related disputes and juvenile cases. Also, it has judicial appellate jurisdiction over hearings from the District Court, Orphan’s Court, and some Administrative Agencies.

The Garrett County District Court does not conduct jury trials. Nonetheless, it has jurisdiction over misdemeanors, certain felonies, and civil cases with claims under $30,000. It also hears cases such as vehicle violations, landlord-tenant disputes, and replevin actions.

The Maryland County Orphan’s Court hears most probate matters and guardianship of minors.  It is also authorized to handle the administration of the decedent's estate.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Garrett County

The Office of the Court's Clerk maintains and keeps all court records, making them available online. Interested public members can mail a request or use the Maryland Judicial Case Search portal to access these records.

Types of Public Court Records in Garrett County

Unless sealed by law or court's order, Garrett County makes the following types of court records available for public inspection:

• Criminal Court Records: These include court proceedings for misdemeanors and felonies
• Family Court Records: These include divorce, custody, and adoption cases
• Civil Court Records: These include non-criminal disputes like breaches of contract and personal injury cases
• Probate Court Records: These include wills, codicils, and documentation of estate assets and liabilities
• Traffic Court Records: These include traffic violations like driving without a seat belt, or license
• Property Records: These include real property, mortgage information, plat map, deeds, and liens 

Confidential Court Records in Garrett County

Confidential court records are not open to the public due to the sensitive nature of the information. The following are confidential records in Garrett County:

• Juvenile delinquency
• Adoption records
• Medical and mental health records
• Cases involving domestic violence
• Identifying information about jurors
• Records related to victims of domestic violence
• Social Security number

Juvenile Delinquency in Garrett, MD

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

In 2017, a total of 166 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Garrett County. Of that total, 70% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 116 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Garrett County, MD

https://www.maryland.gov/

County Seat:	Oakland
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1872
Total Square Miles:	656
2019 Population:	29,233
Persons/Square Mile:	0.02
County Contact:	203 S 4Th St County Courthouse Oakland , MD 21550-1553 https://www.garrettcounty.org/

Garrett County, MD Courts