On April 14, 2020, the Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals issued a Second Amended Administrative Order Expanding and Extending Statewide Judiciary Restricted Operations due to the COVID-19 Emergency.
The Chief Judge extended the initial closure date from May 1, 2020 to June 5, 2020. The closure extends to all courts in the Maryland Judiciary, court offices, administrative offices, units of the Judiciary, and the Offices of the Clerks of the Circuit Courts and the District Court. The Circuit Courts will continue to hear certain matters including:
- bail reviews/bench warrants;
- arraignments for detained defendants;
- juvenile detention hearings;
- juvenile shelter care hearings;
- peace order petitions;
- emergency evaluation petitions;
- quarantine and isolation petitions;
- extradition cases; body attachments;
- extreme risk protective order appeals
The Order includes certain emergencies will also be heard during the closure including:
- CINA matters,
- emergency delinquency hearings,
- emergency Habeas Corpus petitions,
- emergency issues in guardianship matters,
- domestic violence protective orders,
- appeals from peace orders,
- family law emergencies, including time urgent matters related to special juvenile immigrant status,
- temporary restraining orders
- criminal competency matters
- motions regarding extreme risk protective orders; domestic violence protective orders; peace orders
- contempt hearings related to peace or protective orders
- matter involving loc ally incarcerated defendants
The entire Order can be reviewed here: Second Amended Administrative Order
Essential court personnel will be available to the public by telephone during normal court hours. Maryland’s Electronic filing service remains active and will continue to accept filings. The three jurisdictions, Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Prince George’s Counties, that do not currently participate in Maryland’s Electronic filing system may post different options on their respective websites for filing to continue in each jurisdiction.
Some counties, including Anne Arundel County has instituted procedures to allow for some cases to be held remotely. The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County has a procedure for Civil, Non-Domestic Cases, Family Law Cases, Criminal Cases, Juvenile Cases.