Search Howard County Court Records

Howard County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk in Ellicott City and cover felony cases, serious misdemeanor trials, and all District Court appeals handled in the county. The county's free online case search tool lets anyone pull up case details around the clock, while in-person and mail requests give you access to certified copies and physical file documents. This page walks through every option, from the online portal to the courthouse counters to the Sheriff's records unit.

Howard County Circuit Court Clerk

Wayne A. Robey serves as Clerk of the Howard County Circuit Court, located at 9250 Judicial Way in Ellicott City. The main courthouse number is (410) 313-2111, and a toll-free line at 1-888-313-0197 is available for callers within Maryland. Chief Deputy Diana M. Liebno can be reached at (410) 313-3803 or diana.liebno@mdcourts.gov. Clerk Robey's direct line is (410) 313-2160 and his email is wayne.robey@mdcourts.gov.

The Circuit Court website at courts.state.md.us/clerks/howard lists available forms for criminal matters, including expungement petitions, interpreter requests, and postponement requests. Those forms are a good starting point if you are navigating a case on your own. The office also handles juvenile delinquency matters, though those records are confidential and not available to the general public.

The clerk's office website below shows the Howard County Circuit Court Clerk page, which lists contact information, available forms, and links to court resources for Howard County criminal court records.

The page is updated regularly and also links to the statewide case search portal where you can look up active and closed cases without a trip to the courthouse.

How to Request Criminal Records

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the best first step. It is free, available 24 hours a day, and covers Circuit Court cases from 1998 and District Court cases from 1989. You can search by name or case number and get charges, docket entries, and case status right away. The portal screenshot below shows the Maryland Judiciary Case Search tool used to look up Howard County criminal court records across both court levels.

After confirming a case exists in the online portal, you can request official copies by visiting the Criminal Department in person or sending a written mail request.

In-person requests go to the Criminal Department at 9250 Judicial Way. You can view records at the public kiosks located in the courthouse, or ask staff to pull a specific case file at the counter. Bring a valid photo ID and the case number. Payment is accepted in cash, check, money order, or by Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card (you must present the card with matching ID).

Mail requests go to: Howard County Circuit Court, Attn: Criminal Department, 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City MD 21043. Include the case number, the name of the defendant, the type of documents you need, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and your payment. If you are not sure of the page count in advance, call (410) 313-3824 to get an estimate before mailing a check or money order.

What Criminal Court Records Contain

Howard County Circuit Court criminal files hold the full record of felony and serious misdemeanor prosecutions. A typical case file includes the charging documents or indictment, bond records that set the terms of pretrial release, all pleadings and motions filed by both sides, sentencing orders from the judge, and any post-conviction documents such as probation records or modification orders. Warrants and summonses issued during the case are also part of the official record. District Court appeals create their own file at the Circuit Court level.

Court orders issued during the case stay in the file permanently. This includes emergency protective orders, competency evaluations, and any orders related to restitution or fines. If the defendant demanded a jury trial at the District Court level, the case transferred here and the Circuit Court file reflects that full history. The online docket shows every entry from first appearance through final disposition.

Not all records are open. Juvenile delinquency records are confidential under Maryland law. Sealed records require a court order to access. Adoption records and certain mental health-related filings carry additional restrictions. If you are searching and cannot find a case you expect to see, it may have been expunged or sealed.

Copy Fees

Standard copies are $0.50 per page. Certified copies start at $5.00 plus $0.50 per page for the document. Exemplified copies, which carry the court's full authentication for use in other jurisdictions, cost $10.00 plus $0.50 per page. These fees are set statewide and apply to all Circuit Court requests in Howard County.

Payment at the counter is accepted in cash, check, money order, or by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) with matching ID. Mail requests require a check or money order payable to the Clerk of Circuit Court. Do not send cash by mail. If you are unsure of the total before sending payment, call the Criminal Department at (410) 313-3824 to confirm the page count first.

Howard County District Court

The Howard County District Court sits at 3451 Court House Drive (inside the Multi-Service Center) in Ellicott City, MD 21043. The phone number is (410) 480-7700 and hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This court handles misdemeanor charges, traffic offenses, civil cases under $30,000, and landlord-tenant matters.

District Court records from 1989 forward appear in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal. If a defendant at the District Court demanded a jury trial or appealed a conviction, the case moved to the Circuit Court at 9250 Judicial Way, where a separate case file was created. Always check both court levels when searching for a specific individual, since related charges may be split across the two databases depending on how the case was handled.

Howard County Sheriff's Office

The Howard County Sheriff's Office is located at 9250 Judicial Way, 2nd Floor, Ellicott City MD 21043. Sheriff Marcus Harris heads the department. The general sheriff line is (410) 313-4202. For after-hours needs, call (410) 313-4150. The fax is (410) 313-4237 and the department email is HCSO@howardcountymd.gov.

The Sheriff's Office website at howardcountymd.gov/sheriffs-office is shown below, where you can find public information resources and guidance on submitting a Maryland Public Information Act request for sheriff records.

Sheriff records held by this office include incident reports, arrest records, and warrant information. To request records under the Maryland Public Information Act, submit your request by mail or in person at the 2nd Floor office. The Public Info and Records line at (410) 313-4201 can answer questions about what is available and current response times. Sheriff records are separate from court files held by the Circuit Court clerk.

Cities in Howard County

Two communities in Howard County have dedicated criminal court records pages. Cases from both areas are filed at the Circuit Court and District Court in Ellicott City.

Nearby Counties

Howard County borders five Maryland counties, each with its own Circuit Court and criminal records office.