Howard County is a cosmopolitan community located in the heart of Maryland between Baltimore and Washington. The county is home to 110,370 housing units with an average household income of $140,754.  It has a population of 332,317 and a total area of 251.0 square miles. Its county seat is Ellicott City.

Courts in Howard County

Howard County is home to the Circuit Court, District Court, and Orphan’s Court. Howard Circuit County is a court of general jurisdiction. It conducts jury trials and hears criminal and civil cases involving more than $30,000 in monetary claims. Similarly, it handles family law, domestic violence, and juvenile cases. It also hears appeals from the District Court and Orphan’s Court.

The Howard County District Court holds limited jurisdiction. It does not conduct jury trials but can handle civil cases with claims under $30,000. It can also hear vehicle violations, landlord-tenant disputes, misdemeanors, and certain felony cases.

However, the Maryland County Orphan’s Court hears most probate cases, land-related matters, and guardianship of minors.  It is also authorized to handle the decedent's estate.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Howard County

The Office of the Court's Clerk maintains and keeps all court records generated in the County. The Court's Clerk makes public court records available online via the Maryland Judicial Case Search portal. Members of the public can also visit the Clerk's office or mail a request for copies of these records.

Types of Public Court Records in Howard County

Court records are available for public disclosure except those considered confidential. Howard County makes the following types of court records available to the general public:

• Land Records: These include bills of sale, mortgages, indentures, leases, and title deeds
• Civil Court Records: These include personal injury cases, product liability, and mortgage foreclosures
• Family Court Records: These include divorce, annulment, spousal support, and paternity cases
• Criminal Case Records: These include court proceedings for misdemeanors and felonies
• Traffic Court Records: These include records of traffic infractions such as driving without a seat belt, driving with outdated licenses, and permitting unauthorized minors to drive
• Probate Court Records: These include wills, estates, trusts, and guardianships

Confidential Court Records in Howard County

Generally, court records are open to the public. However, some are considered confidential and are thereby sealed by law or by court orders. The following are usually excluded from public access:

• Juvenile delinquency
• Adoption records
• Trade secrets or records ordered shielded by the judge
• Medical and mental health records
• Individual or corporate tax records
• Intellectual proprietary
• Cases involving domestic violence
• Identifying information about jurors
• Records related to victims of domestic violence
• Social Security number.

Juvenile Delinquency in Howard, MD

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Howard 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 836 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Howard County. Of that total, 99% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 828 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Howard County, MD

https://www.maryland.gov/

County Seat:	Ellicott City
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1851
Total Square Miles:	253
2019 Population:	321,113
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	3430 Court House Dr County Office Building Ellicott City , MD 21043-4300 https://www.howardcountymd.gov/

Howard County, MD Courts