Find Criminal Court Records in Calvert County
Calvert County criminal court records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk at 175 Main Street in Prince Frederick. The office maintains felony case files, indictments, jury trial records, and all appeals from the District Court serving the county. You can search records online through the free statewide database or request documents directly from the clerk by visiting in person or sending a written request by mail.
Calvert County Overview
Calvert County Circuit Court Clerk
Clerk Kathy P. Smith oversees the Calvert County Circuit Court at 175 Main Street in Prince Frederick. Her direct line is (410) 535-1660. For questions about judicial records, Karen Boyd serves as the Judicial Records Representative and can be reached at extension 2514. The criminal department line is (410) 535-1600 ext. 2266 for case-specific questions.
| Address | 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (410) 535-1600 | Criminal Dept: ext. 2266 | Toll-free: 1-888-535-0113 |
| Hours | Counter and phone: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Phone inquiries: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Website | www.courts.state.md.us/clerks/calvert |
A Judicial Records Request Form is available on the clerk's website at www.courts.state.md.us/clerks/calvert/recordsrequests. Using this form helps ensure your request includes all the information staff need to locate the file quickly. Phone inquiries are accepted slightly earlier than the counter hours, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., which can be useful if you are trying to confirm a case number before visiting.
How to Search and Request Records
Start with the free Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal before submitting any formal request. The database covers Calvert County Circuit Court cases from 1998 and District Court cases from 1989. You can search by defendant name, case number, or date without creating an account.
The screenshot below shows the Maryland Judiciary Case Search, the primary free tool for locating Calvert County criminal court records online.
The online portal gives you docket entries, charges filed, hearing dates, and case status. For actual document copies, you still need to submit a request to the clerk's office.
The Calvert County Circuit Court clerk's page shown below provides access to the records request form and other resources for obtaining documents from the court.
Downloading the Judicial Records Request Form from the clerk's website before your visit can speed up the in-person process significantly.
In-person requests go to the public service counter at 175 Main Street. Complete the Record Request Form, provide the case number or the party names involved, and show a valid photo ID. Staff process requests the same day for most standard files. Mail requests go to the same address: Clerk of Circuit Court, 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick MD 20678. Include case information, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment by cash, check, money order, or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Discover).
Records may not be immediately available in some situations. Technical problems, bulk requests, active case use, or files in archived storage can all cause delays. Call the office before traveling if you are coming from a distance.
Note: The records request form available at the clerk's website covers all case types including criminal, and completing it in advance reduces wait time at the counter.
What Calvert County Criminal Records Include
The Circuit Court in Prince Frederick holds criminal records for felony cases, Grand Jury and State's Attorney indictments, cases where defendants requested jury trials, and all District Court appeals. These records go back beyond the 1998 online database cutoff, so for older cases a direct request to the clerk is the only option.
A criminal case file at the Circuit Court level typically contains the original felony charges or indictment, bond documents establishing pretrial release conditions, all plea documents filed if the case resolved without trial, sentencing orders and disposition records signed by the judge, and docket entries logging every filing and court date. Grand Jury proceedings generate their own paperwork that becomes part of the record when charges are formally filed. For cases that went to trial, hearing transcripts may be available separately through the court reporter rather than the clerk's office.
Note: The records request page at courts.state.md.us/clerks/calvert/recordsrequests shows the specific form fields required for criminal record requests, which differ slightly from civil or land record requests.
Copy Fees and Payment Methods
Standard copies at the Calvert County Circuit Court cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies run $5.00 plus $0.50 per page for the underlying document. For land record copies, contact the office directly since those fees are calculated differently.
The office accepts cash, personal checks, money orders, and major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover). This is broader than some Maryland counties, which makes Calvert County fairly accessible for mail requests. When estimating the cost of a mail order, call the criminal department at (410) 535-1600 ext. 2266 with the case number for a page count estimate.
The records request form shown below also covers the submission process for written requests, including guidance on what information to include with payment.
Using the official records request form helps prevent delays caused by incomplete submissions, especially for mail requests where back-and-forth communication adds days to the process.
Calvert County District Court
The Calvert County District Court is at 200 Duke Street in Prince Frederick, just a short distance from the Circuit Court. The main line is (443) 550-6700 and there is a toll-free number at 1-800-941-3375. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
District Court handles misdemeanor charges, certain felony cases, all traffic offenses, and civil cases under $30,000. Records from 1989 onward appear in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal. If a defendant in District Court demanded a jury trial or appealed a conviction, those records transferred to the Circuit Court and are held by Kathy P. Smith's office at 175 Main Street. Always check both court levels when searching for a specific case if you are uncertain which court handled the matter.
Calvert County Sheriff's Office
The Calvert County Sheriff's Office is at 30 Church Street in Prince Frederick. The main number is (410) 535-2800. Sheriff records and court records are maintained by separate agencies and must be requested independently.
To request incident reports, arrest records, or accident reports from the Sheriff, download the Information Request Form from the Sheriff's webpage. Complete sections 2 and 3 of the form. Enclose $5.00 in cash or a check payable to the Calvert County Treasurer. Mail the completed form and payment to 30 Church Street, Prince Frederick MD 20678. Warrant information is available in limited circumstances. Some records tied to ongoing investigations or involving juveniles may not be released.
Communities in Calvert County
No cities in Calvert County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site. The Circuit Court at 175 Main Street in Prince Frederick serves all communities throughout the county, including Dunkirk, Huntingtown, Owings, North Beach, and other unincorporated areas. All residents use the same office for criminal court record requests.
Nearby Counties
Calvert County borders three other Maryland counties. Each has its own Circuit Court handling criminal records for its jurisdiction.