Maryland Court Summary

The Maryland trial court system consists of Circuit Courts, District Courts, and Orphans Courts.

Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. District Courts and Orphans Courts have limited jurisdiction. Circuit Courts generally handle cases that are beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. District Courts handle certain types of civil and criminal cases, and Orphans Courts handle certain types of probate and guardianship cases.


First Name	MI	Last Name	State

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Where to find court cases in Maryland

The chart below gives general information on the types of cases heard in each type of court in Maryland.

= Most or all cases.

= Some cases.

Case Type	Court Type
Civil	Circuit Courts	District Courts	Orphans Courts
General Civil - Unlimited
General Civil - Limited
Small Claims
Civil Equity
Complex Commercial
Foreclosures and Liens
Real Estate Title and Boundary
Landlord / Tenant
Ordinance Violations
Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders
Administrative Agency Appeals
Criminal	Circuit Courts	District Courts	Orphans Courts
Felony
Felony Preliminary Hearings
Misdemeanors
Ordinance Violations
Juvenile
Traffic and Infractions		$Most or all Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the District Courts$
Domestic Relations	Circuit Courts	District Courts	Orphans Courts
Divorce
Child Custody and Visitation
Child Support
Paternity
Domestic Violence Protection Order
Juvenile	Circuit Courts	District Courts	Orphans Courts
Adoptions
Juvenile Delinquency
Child Abuse and Neglect
Termination of Parental Rights
Children in Need of Supervision
Mental Health	Circuit Courts	District Courts	Orphans Courts
Involuntary Commitments
Other Mental Health Cases
Probate	Circuit Courts	District Courts	Orphans Courts
Wills & Estates
Name Changes
Trusts
Guardianships and Conservatorships

Maryland Courts Summary