In Maryland, there are two types of trial courts: district court houses and circuit court houses. Appellate courts include the Supreme Court of Maryland and the Appellate Court of Maryland, and they only handle intermediate and high appeals to rulings made in trial courts. Anne Arundel County is home to two district courthouses and one circuit courthouse.
The circuit courthouse for Anne Arundel County is located at 8 Church Circle, Annapolis. This is in the historic district of downtown. Their hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on legal holidays.
Contact phone number: 410-222-1397
In-state toll-free number: 888-246-0615
Mailing address:
Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County
8 Church Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401-1934
The court system of Anne Arundel County originated in 1650. The State House was built in 1697, and it and other buildings were used by the county courts. After more than a century, it was determined that the court should have its own building. The circuit court was established in 1821, and the building was added to in 2000. It is the third-oldest county courthouse still used in Maryland.
The Clerk of the Court is Scott A. Poyer, and the Chief Deputy Clerk is Mary Katharine Fowler, Esq. The State’s Attorney is Anne Colt Leitess.
There are 12 judges currently in the circuit court, and the Administrative Judge is the Hon. Donna M. Shaeffer. Other judge designations in the court include:
Circuit courts in Maryland handle:
The circuit court of Maryland will also handle civil or criminal district court cases if:
There are several parking garages and lots located around the area, including South Street lot, Visitor Center lot, and Gott’s Court Garage, all with varying fees.
The Glen Burnie District Court is located in the George M. Taylor Multi-Service Center on 7500 Gov. Ritchie Highway. As a district court, they don’t conduct jury trials. Instead, they handle cases such as:
Their hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for legal holidays.
General information phone number: 410-260-1800
In-state toll-free number: 1-800-944-2688
The Administrative Judge of the Glen Burnie District Court is the Hon. Shaem C.P. Spencer. The Administrative Clerk is Kathryn Glenn, and the Administrative Commissioner is Michael Lindner.
There is free parking on the street and in the parking garage next to the district court.
The District Court of Maryland in Annapolis can be found on the third floor at 251 Rowe Boulevard. District courts don’t take care of jury trials; those can be found at the circuit court. District courts handle cases such as:
The district court’s hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on legal holidays. At the Annapolis District Court, the Administrative Judge is the Hon. Shaem C.P. Spencer, and the Administrative Clerk is Kathryn Glenn. Michael Lindner is the Administrative Commissioner.
General information phone number: 410-260-1370
In-state toll-free number: 1-800-944-2688
From the front of the courthouse, you can take a right turn on Taylor Avenue and turn right into the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium parking lot, where you can park for a fee. The parking lot opposite the district court is a private shopping lot for customers only.
The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court can be reached at 410-222-1397. The Maryland-only toll-free number is 888-246-0615. If you want to speak to someone in person, the circuit court building is located at 8 Church Circle in Annapolis’s historic downtown district. The mailing address for the county circuit court is:
Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County
8 Church Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401-1934
In Anne Arundel County, there is a Maryland district court in both Glen Burnie and Annapolis. The Maryland-only toll-free number for both is 1-800-944-2688. The Glen Burnie location can be reached by calling their general information number at 410-260-1800 and is located at 7500 Gov. Ritchie Highway. The Annapolis district court’s general information number is 410-260-1370, and their address is 251 Rowe Boulevard, on the third floor.
For court records and information, you can use the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. This can show you records of Maryland state cases in Maryland District Courts, Circuit Courts, the Court of Special Appeals, and the Court of Appeals. It does not include federal court cases. Searching a case will give you a summary and basic information. For a more in-depth look at the case, write down the case number and bring it to the courthouse that heard it.
Anne Arundel’s County Executive Steuart Pittman can be reached at (410) 222-1821. The County Executive office is located at the Arundel Center, at 44 Calvert Street in Annapolis. You can also contact the office by email using their online form. The County Executive connects with the community through the Office of Community Engagement and Constituent Service (CECS). The hours for this office are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.
If you are in need of legal advocacy and defense from an experienced attorney in the Anne Arundel area, contact our team. We have experience in civil and criminal cases, and we want to support you and your rights.
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