Original Jurisdiction -- Jurisdiction of the first court to hear a case. Revision of Sentence -- A procedure by which the trial court (ordinarily the sentencing judge, unless unavailable) is asked to correct an allegedly illegal sentence or otherwise modify the sentence; as a result of the procedure, the sentence may be decreased or remain the same, but may not be increased unless done before the defendant leaves the courtroom at the original sentencing proceeding. 1. The defendant is also advised of right to counsel, referred to the Public Defender, if eligible, and informed that further appearance in court without counsel is deemed to be a waiver of counsel. A person so served becomes a third-party defendant. Seizure -- The taking of a defendants property to satisfy a judgment. Writ -- A written order issued by a court and addressed to a sheriff or other person whose action the court desires to command to require performance of a specified act or to give authority to have the act done. Distress or Distraint -- Seizure; taking personal property out of the custody of a wrongdoer and into the custody of the party injured; for example, distress is a remedy for failure to pay rent. Certified Mail -- Mail deposited with the US Postal Service, with postage prepaid and return receipt requested. Settlement Conference -- A process in which you and anyone else involved in your case meet with a neutral attorney who will help you try and find ways to settle your case. CAPTCHA, Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart, is a process used by businesses and governments for information security purposes. Bifurcate -- To try issues separately, such as criminal responsibility and guilt in a criminal proceeding and liability and damages in a civil action. Abbreviations Used in the Local Rules of Court, by Division. . A verified final report is filed within 10 months from the date of appointment. Also the endorsement made by the officer upon the writ or other paper stating what he has done under it, the time and mode of service etc. Accomplice -- A person who knowingly and willingly assists the principal offender in the commission of a crime. Intrastate Detainer -- An arrest warrant issued on a charging document in Maryland and lodged with a correctional institution in Maryland in which the defendant is already in custody for the same or another offense to ensure continued detention of the defendant until processed on the charges underlying the warrant. In Banc Review -- A review of the trial courts rulings or judgment by a panel of three circuit court judges. Marital Property -- The property, however titled, acquired by one or both parties during the marriage. Docket Number -- Case number; the designation assigned to each case filed in a particular court. Transfer -- In a criminal case, a change of location (venue) of the case to another location in which charges are pending and to which the defendant has pled guilty or nolo contendere, to permit the defendant to similarly plead to the transferred charges, and have sentence imposed as to all the charges. Regular Estate Judicial (RJ) - A proceeding conducted by the Orphans' Court when matters cannot be handled administratively. Examination in Aid of Enforcement of Judgment -- A request by plaintiff (judgment creditor) to discover the assets of a defendant (judgment debtor) after entry of judgment. Co-defendant -- One of multiple persons named in the same civil complaint or charged in the same criminal charging document. Finding -- A determination of fact by a judicial officer or jury. Venue -- The geographical division in which an action or prosecution may be brought for trial. Burden of Proof -- The necessity of proving facts at issue in Maryland, the criminal burden of proof is beyond a reasonable doubt; the civil burden of proof is by a preponderance of the evidence, or sometimes by clear and convincing evidence.. Is there a specific reason you are asking? Copyright 2023 Maryland Judiciary. Circuit Court -- A trial court of general jurisdiction. Public Defender -- Counsel provided at public expense, primarily to defend indigent defendants in criminal cases. App. Attorney Information System (AIS) - Centralized Judiciary database for Attorney Information, Attorney of Record -- An attorney who represents a party and has entered an appearance in an action. Case Tracking System. Circuit -- A geographical area including one or more counties over which the courts jurisdiction or a judges representation extends; under Article IV, Sections 14 and 19 of the Constitution of Maryland, there are six appellate circuits in Maryland and eight trial level circuits. Acquittal -- The finding of a judge that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction, or a verdict that the accused is not guilty. Show Cause -- A process directed to a person to appear in court and present reasons why a certain order, judgment, or decree should not be made final. Offense -- A violation of the criminal laws of this State or any political subdivision thereof. Government, Tracking, Management. With a total land area of 12,407 square miles (32,130 km 2), Maryland is the 8th-smallest state by land area, but its . Bail -- A sum of money or other form of security given to the court in exchange for the release of the accused from custody and to guarantee that the accused will appear in court. Shielded Record - A record or information in a record removed from public inspection by a judge or commissioner. Nolo Contendere (Trans: I will not contest it.) -- The name of a plea in a criminal action having the same legal effect as a plea of guilty so far as regards all proceedings in the case and on which the defendant may be sentenced. Abated by Death -- The disposition of a charge due to death of the defendant. Garnishee -- A person holding the property or assets of a judgment debtor. Massachusetts : Massachusetts Supreme Judicial . Sua Sponte --Of its own will; commonly when a judge does something without being so requested by any party in a case. Merits -- Strict legal rights of the parties; a decision on the merits is one that reaches the right(s) of a party as distinguished from a disposition of the case on a ground not reaching the rights raised in the action; for example, in a criminal case double jeopardy does not apply if charges are nolle prossed before trial commences, and in a civil action res judicata does not apply if a previous action was dismissed on a preliminary motion raising a technicality such as improper service of process. Sub Curia (Trans: under law) -- An action of the court ordering a matter to be held pending resolution due to a legal requirement (a procedure, rule or statutory requirement that prevented the finality of the matter). Accused -- The person against whom an accusation is made. Attachment -- The process of apprehending a person (as in a body attachment) or seizing property to satisfy a judgment. Circuit -- A geographical area including one or more counties over which the courts jurisdiction or a judges representation extends; under Article IV, Sections 14 and 19 of the Constitution of Maryland, there are six appellate circuits in Maryland and eight trial level circuits. Count -- A separate charge in a charging document or separate cause of action in a civil complaint. Contempt of Court -- Failure to obey a court order. Return -- The act of a sheriff, constable, or other ministerial officer in delivering back to the court a writ, notice, or other paper which he was required to serve or execute with a brief account of his doings under the mandate, the time and mode of service or execution or his failure to accomplish it, as the case may be. Body Attachment -- A written order issued by a court directing a sheriff or peace officer to take custody of and bring before the court: Restitution -- The act of making good or giving equivalent of any loss, damage, or injury. Circuit Court -- A trial court of general jurisdiction. Appeal Bond -- A type of bond set by the court and filed by the appellant until the cause can be passed upon and disposed of by the superior court. Limited Order (LO) A limited order to locate assets or a will. Cross-examination -- Examination of one partys witness by the other party. Writ of Garnishment of Wages -- An order of court commanding that a portion of the defendants wages are deducted regularly and paid to the plaintiff to satisfy a judgment. Prepared by Paul J. Notarianni in 2016. Confessed Judgment -- An action seeking final judgment based upon a person agreeing, in advance, to the entry of judgment against them upon the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, such as making a payment. In accordance with Federal and State statutes and the Rules Governing the Courts of the State of Maryland or court order, certain records may not be available for public inspection. Transcript -- The official typed record of court proceedings, including the word for word testimony of witnesses, statements by attorneys, rulings by the judge, etc., prepared by the court reporter from stenographic notes or electronic recording made during the proceeding. Process -- Any written order issued by a court to secure compliance with its commands or to require action by any person and includes a summons, subpoena, an order of publication, or a commission of other writ. They bring: One (1) item from list A OR One (1) item from list B AND one (1) item from List C Pay Period. Pending -- Cases that are awaiting further action. Subpoena Duces Tecum -- (Trans: bring it with him) -- A writ commanding a witness to appear and produce documents or papers in court that are relevant to a case. Grand Jury -- A jury composed of 23 persons who receive evidence and determine if that evidence is sufficient for a criminal indictment. Acquittal -- The finding of a judge that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction, or a verdict that the accused is not guilty. Statement of Charges -- A charging document, other than a citation, filed in District Court by a peace officer or by a judicial officer. Bench Warrant -- A warrant issued by a judge for the arrest of a defendant for failure to appear in court as required. Judgment of Acquittal -- A judgment entered by the court upon a determination that the States evidence is insufficient to support a conviction and, thus insufficient to go to the jury. Law Enforcement Unit -- A State, county, or municipal police department or unit, the office of a Sheriff, the office of a States Attorney, or the office of the Attorney General of the State. Miranda Warning -- A requirement based on a United States Supreme Court decision that a person be advised of certain constitutional rights against self-incrimination at the time of arrest and before questioning. Tenant Holding Over (THO) -- A landlord-tenant action filed by the lessor to repossess certain leased premises which the tenant has not vacated after notice. States Attorney -- A person authorized to prosecute an offense on behalf of the State or a political subdivision thereof. Guilty -- The word used by an accused in pleading to the charges when he confesses to committing the crime of which he is charged. Nulla Bona -- No goods; a return to a writ of execution when no goods of the defendant are found to levy. Record on Appeal -- The case file and its contents, together with a transcript of all proceedings in the lower court. Non-issue. Ecitation -- The electronic version of the MD Uniform Complaint and Citation (traffic citation). Triple Seal -- Exemplified copy; a term referring to a certification of a court documents authenticity by signature of the clerk and seal of the court and certification by a judge of the court as to the authenticity of the clerks signature and seal; used to permit admission of the court document in a proceeding in another state under the full faith and credit provision of the U.S. Constitution. Public Defender -- Counsel provided at public expense, primarily to defend indigent defendants in criminal cases. 1. in a criminal action, failure to appear may result in a bench warrant being issued for the persons arrest. An order entered by a judge suspending or postponing a proceeding or execution of an action before the Court. In Banc Review -- A review of the trial courts rulings or judgment by a panel of three circuit court judges. Please note the % cannot be inserted at the beginning or middle of words. Confession -- A statement by an individual, either oral or written, admitting that he or she committed a certain offense. Jointly and Severally -- Acting together and separately; anyone so liable can sue or be sued with or without others joining in the action. Posted on Jan 16, 2019 It means that it is a criminal case where attorneys are required to file electronically. This is a service of the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. Exception -- A formal objection to an action of the court during trial, evidencing the objecting partys disagreement with the courts ruling and preserving the matter for review on appeal. Merged -- The absorption of a lesser included offense into a more serious offense. Consecutive Sentences -- Upon conviction of multiple counts/charges in one or more cases, sentences must be served one after the other, rather than at the same time (see: concurrent sentence). It used to be just 'CR.'. Certiorari (writ of) (Trans: to be more fully informed) -- The process by which an appellate court calls for the records of a case from a lower court for review. Clerk -- An officer of the court who maintains case files, makes docket entries, issues process, and generally serves as the ministerial arm of the court. Satisfaction -- An entry made on the record by a plaintiff that states that he/she has been paid and the judgment satisfied. Court -- Judge or body of judges whose task is to hear cases and administer justice. For partial name searches, input at least the first character of the last name, followed by a % symbol. The application guides you through a series of questions called an "interview." Witness -- One who testifies to what he has seen, heard, or otherwise observed and who is not necessarily a party to the action. Not included are investigatory files, police work-product records used solely for police investigation purposes, or records pertaining to nonincarcerable violations of the vehicle laws of the State or of any other traffic law, ordinance, or regulation. Supplementary Proceedings -- Proceedings supplementary to an execution, directed to the discovery of a debtors property and the application of the property to the debt for which the execution is issued. Surety Bond -- A bond posted by a surety insurer ensuring that the penalty sum will be paid if the conditions of the bond are not satisfied. Stet (Trans: to stand) -- A conditional stay of all further proceedings in a case. Landlords Complaint for failure to pay rent -- An action for the recovery of possession of real property. Incarceration -- Imprisonment; confinement in a jail or penitentiary. Case Law -- Decisions of federal and state courts interpreting and applying laws in specific fact situations; opinions are reported in various volumes. Tort (Trans: twisted) -- An injury or damage to person/or property for which the person who caused the injury is legally responsible. Mandamus -- A court order compelling an individual to fulfill an official ministerial duty. General Jurisdiction -- the unlimited authority over cases brought before the court to decide rights and grant remedies available under the law; circuit courts are courts of general jurisdiction. Traffic includes both active and closed case records for moving violations, as well as serious offenses where the defendant must appear for trial (see question 5). Conviction -- The determination of guilt based on a plea, a jury verdict, or a finding of a judge. SDAT Real Property Search provides ownership and value information about every parcel of real property in the State of Maryland (approximately 2,000,000 accounts), as well as sales of real property. Modification -- (a change or alteration) An order changing the terms of a prior order of the Court. No intermediate appellate court : Maryland : Maryland Court of Appeals (supreme court) Md. Police Record -- All official records that a law enforcement unit, booking facility, or the Central Repository maintains about the arrest and detention of, or further proceeding against, a person for a criminal charge, a suspected violation of a criminal law, or a violation of the Transportation Article for which a term of imprisonment may be imposed. Extradition -- The surrender by one state to another of an individual accused or convicted of an offense outside its own territory and within the territorial jurisdiction of the other which, being competent to try and punish him, demands the surrender. Stay -- Hold in abeyance. Guide & File -- Tool developed by the Maryland Courts to help you complete court forms online. Sentence -- The judgment of court after conviction awarding punishment. Docket -- A list of the cases to be heard in the court; or a formal record of courts activity. For partial name searches, input at least the first character of the last name, followed by a % symbol. Pretrial Release -- The release by a judicial officer of a defendant, prior to trial, under conditions that the judicial officer feels will reasonably assure the defendants appearance as required. 2 attorney answers Posted on Feb 10, 2018 These are the acronyms given for the Clerks' offices to categorize different types of cases. . Court Supporting Agencies. Docket Number -- Case number; the designation assigned to each case filed in a particular court. Nolo Contendere (Trans: I will not contest it.) -- The name of a plea in a criminal action having the same legal effect as a plea of guilty so far as regards all proceedings in the case and on which the defendant may be sentenced. Common Abbreviations Used in Criminal Record Reports This list should be used only as a guide in interpreting criminal record information. On motion of the States Attorney, the court may indefinitely postpone trial of a charge by marking the charge stet on the docket. Show Cause -- A process directed to a person to appear in court and present reasons why a certain order, judgment, or decree should not be made final. Affirmed (Judgment) -- A decision by an appellate court finding that the judgment of a lower court is correct and should stand. Interrogatories -- A set of written questions for the purpose of discovery. Default -- The failure to appear, to defend, or to follow proper procedure in a lawsuit. Seizure -- The taking of a defendants property to satisfy a judgment. (Compare Probation). Prima Facie -- Evidence good and sufficient on its face. Modifications can be ordered in open and closed cases. Confessed Judgment -- An action seeking final judgment based upon a person agreeing, in advance, to the entry of judgment against them upon the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, such as making a payment. Return -- The act of a sheriff, constable, or other ministerial officer in delivering back to the court a writ, notice, or other paper which he was required to serve or execute with a brief account of his doings under the mandate, the time and mode of service or execution or his failure to accomplish it, as the case may be. Not included are investigatory files, police work-product records used solely for police investigation purposes, or records pertaining to nonincarcerable violations of the vehicle laws of the State or of any other traffic law, ordinance, or regulation. Sequester -- Separate or isolate; for example, to separate witnesses from each other, to separate property from a party and place it in the custody of the court or a third person, etc. Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) -- A conditional avoidance of imposition of sentence after conviction; failure to satisfy the terms and conditions may cause imposition of sentence after a finding of violation of probation. Terms of Use/Disclaimer, The Journalist's Guide to Maryland's Legal System, statement of charges issued 930817 (August 17, 1993), date of hearing/date bond received; bail amount; defendant status bond code; percentage required; commissioner/judge id#, date of commitment order; incarceration location, date bond set; bail amount; type of bond code; percentage posted, Civil 1989 ( some cases are in history database and are unavailable). Jurisdiction -- Authority by which courts receive and decide cases. The system will perform a search for the exact names entered in the first and last name search fields. Court Order -- A command or mandatory direction of a judge which is made during a case. Capital Case -- A criminal case in which the allowable punishment includes death. Contempt of Court -- Failure to obey a court order. Miranda Warning -- A requirement based on a United States Supreme Court decision that a person be advised of certain constitutional rights against self-incrimination at the time of arrest and before questioning. Upon entry of a dismissal, except a dismissal without prejudice, the matter has effectively ended. Case Search name searches default to search for exact names only. Grand Jury -- A jury composed of 23 persons who receive evidence and determine if that evidence is sufficient for a criminal indictment. Release of Lien -- The cancellation of record of a Declaration of Trust or other recorded security instrument given to secure a bail bond that has been discharged. Supreme Court of Maryland -- Marylands highest appellate court wherein review is ordinarily a matter of discretion. Non Est (Inventus) (Trans: not to be found) -- the sheriffs return of process when service is not made because the person was not found. Contempt, Civil -- Noncompliance with a court order or rule that affects another person; punishment is administered to compel compliance. Litigant -- A party to a lawsuit; one engaged in litigation. Nunc Pro Tunc -- Now for then; phrase used when an order is issued on one date but is effective as if issued on an earlier date when it should have been issued. The application guides you through a series of questions called an "interview." Case Search is a good way to get some general information about a case such as the case number, dates, and type of case. FORC CONT CR MT More Ask a lawyer - it's free! Read More. Hearsay -- Evidence offered by a witness based on what others have said. Terms of Use/Disclaimer. Immunity from Prosecution -- Protection from prosecution in exchange for testimony that might not otherwise by forthcoming. Petition for Expungement -- A written request for expungement of Court and police records. Information -- A charging document filed in a court by a States Attorney. 2. in a civil action, failure to answer may result in entry of a judgment against that person. Eviction -- Action taken to legally dispossess a person of land or property. (See: Huger v. State, 285 Md. Split Sentence -- A sentence imposing a fine and imprisonment with the imprisonment part suspended or imposing a period of imprisonment, part of which is suspended and a period of probation is imposed. Sub Curia (Trans: under law) -- An action of the court ordering a matter to be held pending resolution due to a legal requirement (a procedure, rule or statutory requirement that prevented the finality of the matter). Waiver of Fees -- An action for an order permitting a person to obtain a good or service without having to pay the standard fee. Hospital Warrant -- In accordance with Health-General Article 12-120, a warrant issued by the court where a determination that probable cause exists that the named defendant has violated a conditional release under Title 12 of the Health-General Article. Limited Jurisdiction -- the authority over only particular types of cases, or cases under a prescribed amount in controversy, or seeking only certain types of relief, the District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction. Accommodations - Assistance with special needs and interpreters. Intrastate Detainer -- An arrest warrant issued on a charging document in Maryland and lodged with a correctional institution in Maryland in which the defendant is already in custody for the same or another offense to ensure continued detention of the defendant until processed on the charges underlying the warrant. Indictment -- A charging document returned by a grand jury and filed in a circuit court. (see De Novo). In Propria Persona -- in ones own proper person; a party choosing to represent himself or herself without the benefit of an attorney; pro se.