Search Baltimore Criminal Court Records
Baltimore criminal court records are handled by the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, an independent city with its own court system separate from Baltimore County. If you need to find case filings, docket entries, or certified copies of court documents for a criminal matter in Baltimore, this guide covers the main offices, online tools, and in-person steps you need to get those records.
Baltimore City Overview
Baltimore City and Its Court System
Baltimore is an independent city. It does not belong to any Maryland county, so there is no county clerk handling criminal records here. The Circuit Court for Baltimore City stands on its own and processes all felony cases, jury trial requests, serious misdemeanor proceedings, and District Court appeals that originate within the city limits. This is important to understand when you are looking for records. You will not find Baltimore City Circuit Court cases filed under a county court name.
The court is located at the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse at 100 North Calvert Street. The Clerk's Office address is 111 North Calvert Street, Room 412, Baltimore, MD 21202. The criminal division operates out of Room 200 of the Mitchell Courthouse. For all county-level directory pages, Baltimore City is listed separately at the Maryland counties index.
| Circuit Court Address | 100 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 |
|---|---|
| Clerk's Office | 111 N. Calvert Street, Room 412, Baltimore, MD 21202 |
| Clerk's Office Phone | (410) 333-3733 |
| Criminal Division | Room 200, Mitchell Courthouse | (410) 333-3750 |
| Clerk | Xavier A. Conaway |
| clerkbaltcitycomm@mdcourts.gov | |
| Website | www.baltimorecitycourt.org |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
If you have a specific case to look up, call the criminal division at (410) 333-3750 before making a trip downtown. Staff can confirm whether a record exists in the system, give you a case number, and tell you what documents are on file. Arriving without a name or case number will slow things down considerably, so gather what you have before you call.
How to Search Baltimore Criminal Court Records Online
The free Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal covers Baltimore City Circuit Court records going back to 1998 and District Court records from 1989. You can search by the defendant's name, a case number, or a date range. The site is open all day, every day, and costs nothing to use.
The portal shows docket entries, hearing dates, case status, and party names for most public criminal cases in Baltimore City. Some records may be sealed or restricted, so if a case does not appear in the results it may not be publicly accessible online.
As of May 4, 2024, Baltimore City Circuit Court also accepts electronic filings through the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) system at mdcourts.gov/mdec/efilingpublic. MDEC covers attorneys and authorized filers. Public access to case documents remains through the Case Search portal and through in-person requests at the Clerk's Office.
Copy Fees and How to Request Records
Standard copies from the Baltimore City Circuit Court cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies carry a $5.00 base fee plus $0.50 per page for the underlying document. Exemplified copies, which are the highest level of authentication, cost $10.00 plus $0.50 per page. These are used when records must be submitted to another court or a government agency.
To get copies in person, go to the Clerk's Office at 111 North Calvert Street, Room 412, during business hours. Bring a photo ID and the case number or the defendant's full name. You can also make requests by email to xavier.conaway@mdcourts.gov or clerkbaltcitycomm@mdcourts.gov. Mail requests should go to the same address with a self-addressed stamped envelope and a money order covering the estimated cost.
Note: Email requests to the Clerk's Office are accepted at xavier.conaway@mdcourts.gov or clerkbaltcitycomm@mdcourts.gov, but response times can vary based on office volume.
Baltimore City District Courts
Baltimore City has multiple District Court locations spread across the city. The main downtown location is at 501 East Fayette Street. Other locations include 5800 Wabash Avenue, 1400 West North Avenue, and 700 East Patapsco Avenue. If you are not sure which District Court handled a case, the Case Search portal will show the court location in the case record.
District Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic offenses, minor civil matters, and preliminary hearings for felony charges. Records from 1989 onward are in the online system. If a defendant asked for a jury trial on a District Court case, that case moved to the Circuit Court. Always check both levels if you are not finding what you need in one place.
The District Court Help Center at 501 East Fayette Street, 3rd Floor, offers free legal advice to people without attorneys. You can reach them at (410) 260-1392. This is not a records office, but staff can point you in the right direction if you are unclear about which court handled a case.
Baltimore City Sheriff and Law Enforcement Records
The Baltimore City Sheriff's Office is at 100 North Calvert Street, Room 104. The main line is (410) 396-1155. Their website is baltimorecitysheriff.com. The Sheriff serves court process, manages the city jail, and handles warrant enforcement. Court records and Sheriff records are separate systems. You need to contact each office on its own if you want both.
Arrest records, incident reports, and related law enforcement documents are handled by the Baltimore City Police Department rather than the Sheriff. To request those records, contact the Police Department's Public Records Unit directly. For criminal court case records, the Circuit Court Clerk at (410) 333-3733 is the right starting point.
If you need a full criminal background check rather than court case records, the Maryland Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) handles that service. Call CJIS at 1-888-795-0011. The fee is $18 for a state check or $38 for a combined state and FBI check. The Clerk's Office does not provide background checks.
Legal Aid in Baltimore
Legal aid services are available in Baltimore City for people who cannot afford an attorney. The main legal aid line is (410) 396-7777. Legal aid organizations can help with understanding court records, expungement of criminal records, and navigating the court process. They do not pull court records on your behalf, but they can explain what you are looking at once you have them.
Nearby Cities
These nearby Maryland cities also have criminal court records pages on this site.
Maryland Counties
Baltimore City is an independent jurisdiction. To browse all Maryland county court records pages, visit the full county directory.