The Maryland court system has four levels: two trial courts and two appellate courts. The trial courts

consider evidence presented in a case and make judgments based on the facts, the law and legal precedent (prior legal

decisions from a higher court). Appellate courts review a trial court’s actions and decisions and decide whether the trial

judge properly followed the law and legal precedent. For jury trials, the appellate court may have to decide whether

the jury’s decision was proper, given the facts presented and the applicable law. Generally, appellate courts do not

decide which party won or lost a trial, nor do they conduct a new trial. Rather, they review the earlier trial and

determine whether or not it was fair, according to the law.

mdcourts.gov

Maryland’s

decided by a judge. The District Court hears both civil

cases — including claims up to $30,000, domestic

violence cases, landlord/tenant disputes, replevin (the

recovery of goods claimed to be wrongfully taken

or held), and civil cases involving amounts at or less

than $5,000 — and some criminal cases. The District

Court hears criminal cases, including motor vehicle/

boating violations and other misdemeanors and

limited felonies, although the Circuit courts share

jurisdiction if the penalties authorized are three years

matters, along with juvenile cases, family matters,

such as divorce, and most appeals from the District

Court, orphans’ courts and administrative agencies.

The circuit courts also can hear, under certain

circumstances, civil or criminal cases from the District

Court, in which one of the parties has requested a

jury trial; cases are ordinarily tried in the District Court

if the penalty is three or more years in prison, a fine of

$2,500 or more, or both; and domestic violence cases.

decide cases in panels of three. Sometimes, all 15

judges sit together, en banc, to hear the case.

cases involving legislative redistricting, removal of

certain state officials, and the certifications of

questions of law. The chief justice of the Supreme

other justices. All seven justices hear oral arguments

in each case unless recused from a case; in this event,

a judge from another court or a retired appellate

place of the recused justice.

TRIAL COURTS APPELLATE COURTS

and to protect the estates of unemancipated minors (minors who remain under

parental authority). Three Orphans' Court judges sit in the City of Baltimore and

each of Maryland's counties, except Harford, Howard, and Montgomery where

circuit court judges sit as Orphans' Court Judges. An appeal from an orphans’

court generally may be to a circuit court, where the matter is tried de novo or 

 “as new”   before a judge or, if appropriate, a jury, or to the Appellate Court of

Maryland, where the matter is heard   “as is”   or on the record.

Created in 1990, the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) hears appeals of

executive branch administrative agency decisions, except for those concerning

Federal courts are authorized by the U.S. Constitution to deal with issues

involving laws enacted by Congress, as contrasted with state courts, which

apply the laws of their state and local governments. Federal courts handle such

diverse matters as bankruptcy, contract disputes, personal injury actions,

governing whether a matter will proceed in a state or federal court. One such

rule is that a case in which citizens of more than one state are involved may be

brought in a federal court and, if brought in a state court, may be removed by

one or more of the parties to federal court. This dual court structure is a

distinguishing and innovative feature of the American judicial system. More