Find Criminal Records in Severn MD
Severn criminal court records are held by the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court in Annapolis, since Severn is an unincorporated community within Anne Arundel County and has no court of its own. If you need to search for a case, get a copy of a filed document, or confirm the status of a criminal proceeding tied to Severn, the clerk's office in Annapolis is your starting point. This guide covers both the online search tool and the in-person process so you know exactly what to expect before you reach out.
Severn Court Records Overview
Anne Arundel County Handles Severn Records
Because Severn is unincorporated, it falls entirely under Anne Arundel County jurisdiction. There is no Severn municipal court. All criminal cases originating in Severn, whether a felony filed at the Circuit Court level or a misdemeanor heard in District Court, are processed through the county system based in Annapolis. The clerk's office at 8 Church Circle holds the official case files and is the only place to get certified copies of court documents.
Anne Arundel County is part of Maryland's 5th Judicial Circuit. That circuit covers only Anne Arundel County, so all criminal proceedings from Severn go through one court system with no ambiguity about which office has the records. If you are unsure whether a case was heard in Circuit Court or District Court, start with the free online search portal and it will show you which court handled the matter.
Important: Anne Arundel Circuit Court requires a case number to pull criminal records in person. You cannot search by name alone at the counter. Look up the case number through the online portal first before visiting.
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court
The Circuit Court clerk handles felony cases, serious misdemeanor proceedings, and any District Court appeals for the entire county, including Severn. The office is in Annapolis at 8 Church Circle, which puts it about 10 miles south of the Severn community center. Plan for courthouse parking and allow extra time if you have not been there before.
| Address | 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (410) 222-1420 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Website | www.courts.state.md.us/clerks/annearundel |
When you visit, bring the case number you found through the online portal, a valid photo ID, and cash or a money order. The office does not accept personal checks. Staff will pull the case jacket and let you review what documents are on file. Copies run $0.50 per page, and certified copies cost $5.00 plus $0.50 per page for the document pages themselves.
Mail requests are also accepted. Send your written request to 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401. Include the defendant's full name, the case number, a list of the specific documents you want, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a money order for the estimated copy cost. Give the office a call at (410) 222-1420 first to get a page count estimate before you send payment.
Search Severn Criminal Court Records Online
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal is the fastest way to look up any Severn criminal case without going to Annapolis. The tool is free and open to everyone. It covers Circuit Court records from 1998 forward and District Court records from 1989 forward. You can search by name, case number, or filing date range.
The screenshot below shows the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal at casesearch.courts.state.md.us, the statewide tool used to find Severn criminal court records at no cost.
Once you locate a case, you can view the full docket, see every hearing date, and confirm the court that handled it. The portal does not let you download the actual filed documents, but it gives you the case number and enough information to make a targeted records request at the clerk's office.
Name searches can return multiple results if the defendant has a common name. Try adding a date of birth or zip code to narrow things down. The portal treats the Circuit Court and District Court as separate search categories, so if a name search comes up empty in one, check the other before assuming no record exists.
Severn and the Anne Arundel District Court
Misdemeanor cases, minor traffic offenses, and lower-level criminal matters involving Severn residents are heard at the District Court in Annapolis rather than the Circuit Court. The District Court address is 251 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401. The phone number is (410) 987-5000. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
District Court records from 1989 forward appear in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal the same way Circuit Court records do. If you cannot find a case at the Circuit Court, it is very likely at the District Court level. The main difference is that District Court cases did not involve a jury trial and typically cover less serious criminal charges. Cases where the defendant asked for a jury trial or that were appealed from District Court will have moved up to Circuit Court, so you may need to check both.
Note: If a District Court case was appealed, the appeal record is held by the Circuit Court clerk, not the District Court, so request copies from 8 Church Circle in that situation.
Anne Arundel County Sheriff
The Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services for unincorporated areas like Severn. The office is at 8495 Veterans Highway, Millersville, MD 21108. The main phone number is (410) 222-1735. Their website is www.aacounty.org/sheriff.
If you need arrest records, incident reports, or warrant information tied to a Severn address, the Sheriff's Office handles MPIA public records requests. Submit your request in writing to the address above. Include the date, location, and names involved in the incident, along with a clear description of what you are looking for. The agency has 30 days to respond. Note that sheriff records and court records are two different systems. Getting an incident report from the Sheriff does not get you a court case file, and vice versa. Submit separate requests if you need both.
Background checks are a separate matter. For a Maryland criminal background check, contact the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) at 1-888-795-0011. The fee is $18 for a state-only check and $38 for a combined state and FBI check.
Nearby Cities
These nearby Maryland cities also have criminal court records pages on this site.
Anne Arundel County Records
All Severn criminal court records fall under Anne Arundel County. Visit the county page for more detail on the court system, fees, and access procedures.