Worcester County covers a land area of approximately 468 square miles in east Maryland. Its county seat is the Town of Snow Hill. Worcester shares a border with the Atlantic Ocean and has more than 52,000 residents.

Courts in Worcester County

Worcester County’s Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases that are beyond other lower courts in the county. Residents and business entities in Worcester may approach the Circuit Court to resolve civil lawsuits involving more than $5,000 in financial disputes. The Circuit Court judge also hears divorce cases, child custody/support matters, parental rights termination, and felony-related trials.

Worcester County has two District Courts located in Snow Hill and Ocean City. Both courts do not conduct jury trials. They typically preside over most misdemeanor criminal proceedings in Worcester. Other criminal cases handled by the court include motor vehicle violations, municipal/county ordinance violations, and felony pretrials. District Courts in Worcester County are responsible for handling financial disputes with claims below $25,000. Landlord-tenant disagreements and some juvenile cases are also within the jurisdiction of the District Courts. Each District Court has a Small Claims Division to resolve monetary disputes of less than $5,000. All probate matters and guardianship/conservatorship issues are taken to the Orphans' Court in Worcester County.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Worcester County

The Circuit Court Clerk in Worcester County is the official record custodian tasked with maintaining the following court records:

• Case dockets
• Court transcripts
• Plea deals
• Complaints and petitions
• Verdicts
• Citations
• Orders
• Briefs and answers

These public court records are also accessible online via the statewide Judiciary Case Search portal. The online platform provides public access to civil case files from 1978 to date and criminal court records filed from 1979 to date. Interested persons can contact the Circuit Court Clerk to obtain court records that are not available online.

Types of Public Court Records in Worcester County

Requesters can have access to the following court records in Worcester County:

• Criminal court records
• Property deeds
• Civil court records
• Small Claims records
• Traffic court records
• Family court records
• Probate court records

Confidential Court Records in Worcester County

Confidential court records in Worcester County are restricted from public view. Generally, state and federal courts restrict public access to the following court records:

• Sealed records
• Medical records
• Adoption records
• Juvenile records
• Records involving parental rights termination cases
• Child in need of assistance (CINA) records
• Marriage license information
• Mental health records
• Individuals’ financial details
• Income tax returns
• Medical records of an alleged disabled adult

The only way to obtain or view these records is by obtaining court orders. Recordholders and their legal representatives can also obtain confidential court records by visiting the court with their government-issued IDs.

Juvenile Delinquency in Worcester, MD

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Worcester 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 500 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Worcester County. Of that total, 79% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 396 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Worcester County, MD

https://www.maryland.gov/

County Seat:	Snow Hill
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1742
Total Square Miles:	695
2019 Population:	51,690
Persons/Square Mile:	0.01
County Contact:	1 W Market St County Courthouse Snow Hill , MD 21863-1085 http://www.co.worcester.md.us/

Worcester County, MD Courts