Montgomery County is located in the US State of Maryland. Its county seat, Rockville, shares a border with Washington, D.C. Other popular cities in Montgomery County include Germantown and Bethesda. As of 2020, Montgomery is home to more than 1 million residents. According to the US Census Bureau, the county covers a total area of 493 square miles.

Courts in Montgomery County

The Circuit Court is the general jurisdiction court in Montgomery County. Civil and criminal cases heard at the Circuit Court are typically beyond other lower courts in the county. The Circuit Court judge is tasked with handling civil lawsuits involving more than $5,000 in financial disputes. Other cases brought before the Montgomery County Circuit Court include divorce, child custody/support, parental rights termination, and felony criminal cases.

Montgomery County has two District Courts that do not conduct jury trials. These courts have limited jurisdiction over some criminal and civil lawsuits. Most misdemeanor offenses are resolved at Montgomery’s District Courts. The courts also preside over criminal cases such as municipal/county ordinance violations, motor vehicle violations, and pretrial hearings for felony-related crimes. District Courts also settle financial disputes involving less than $25,000, landlord-tenant disagreements, and some juvenile cases. Small Claims Divisions of District Courts are set up to resolve monetary disputes of less than $5,000. The Montgomery County Orphans' Court handles certain probate and guardianship matters.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Montgomery County

Montgomery County residents can use the statewide Maryland Judiciary Case Search to find public court records created at the Circuit and District courts. The online repository offers public access to criminal records filed from 1979 till date and civil records from 1978. Court records not found online are obtainable by visiting the clerk of the court where the case was heard. Note that Montgomery County public court records often include the following information:

• Plea agreements
• Sentencing records
• Transcripts of hearings and trials
• Docket entries
• Complaints and petitions
• Summonses
• Pleadings (e.g., answers, motions)
• Citations

Types of Public Court Records in Montgomery County

The following court records are publicly accessible in Montgomery County.

• Criminal Court Records
• Civil Court Records
• Family Court Records
• Traffic Court Records
• Probate Court Records
• Small Claims Court Records
• Land and Property Court Records

Confidential Court Records

Confidential court records are not open to the public. Some records are confidential according to state and federal laws, while others have been sealed or expunged by record-holders. Examples of confidential court records in Montgomery include the following:

• Adoption records
• Parental rights termination records
• Juvenile records
• CINA (Child in need of assistance) records
• Marriage license information
• Records related to mental health evaluations
• Income tax returns
• Financial records
• Medical records of an alleged disabled adult
• Records successfully sealed or expunged

Obtaining these records may be possible, provided requesters get court orders.

Juvenile Delinquency in Montgomery, MD

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

In 2017, a total of 1959 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Montgomery County. Of that total, 97% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1903 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Montgomery County, MD

https://www.maryland.gov/

County Seat:	Rockville
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1776
Total Square Miles:	507
2019 Population:	1,058,810
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Montgomery County, MD Courts