Maryland Criminal Records

Thank you for choosing this page. We aim to give you clear facts for your Maryland Criminal Records Search. Our goal is to guide you well. We hope this page helps you find what you need fast.

To begin a Maryland Criminal Records Search right now, please visit https://marylandofficialrecords.com/criminal-records/. This site lets you start your check with ease. Find the details you seek for peace of mind or for needs like jobs or rent. The tool helps make your search quick. It aims to give you the facts you want from public data sources. Use it now if you do not want to wait.

How to Conduct a Maryland Criminal Records Search

There are official state ways to search for records. Each way has its own use. Some are free for public view. Others are formal checks that cost money. You must know which search fits your need. A public search is not the same as a background check. One main tool is online. The other needs forms and often prints.

Maryland Judiciary Case Search

The Maryland Judiciary offers a free online tool. It is called Case Search. You can find it at mdcourts.gov/casesearch. This tool lets you look up court cases. You can search by name or case number. It shows many case types. These include criminal cases. Traffic cases are also shown. Some civil cases appear too. You can filter by court level. You can filter by county. This helps narrow your search. It is a good first step for many. You can see case status. You can see dates and charges. You can see court actions. This is public court data.

Case Search has limits. It is not a full background check. Some records are not shown. Expunged records are removed. Shielded records are hidden from public view. Some juvenile records are kept private. Old marijuana cases might be hidden too. This applies to cases before July 1, 2023. Changes in law affect what you see. Case Search uses CAPTCHA. This stops robot searches. The site has notices about name searches. It explains partial name searches. Use a % symbol for partial last names. Always read the notices. They explain data limits. They tell you about recent law changes. This tool shows court activity only. It does not show all police contacts. It does not confirm identity fully.

Official Background Checks via DPSCS/CJIS

For official checks, use the state police. This means the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). Their Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) handles checks. These are often for jobs or licenses. You might need one for housing. You can also get one for your own review. These checks use fingerprints. This links the record to the right person. CJIS offers Maryland state checks. It can help with FBI checks too. The FBI check is a separate process. You must ask the FBI for that one. DPSCS gives details on how to do this.

To get a state check, you need prints. If you live in Maryland, go to an approved site. DPSCS lists these private providers online. They also have a walk-in site. The CJIS walk-in site is at 6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 101, Baltimore, MD 21215. You must make an appointment first. Call CJIS Customer Service for this. Their number is 410-764-4501. The toll-free number is 1-888-795-0011. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. They close on state holidays. If you live out of state, ask CJIS for a print card. You can call them or write. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 32708, Pikesville, Maryland 21282-2708.

You must pay a fee for checks. Fees vary by the type of check. A state check mailed in costs $18.00. A state check in person with a card is $15.00. Other types cost more. Check the DPSCS website for current fees. Pay with a credit card (Visa, Master Card, Discover) or check. CJIS does not take cash. They do not take money orders. You need to fill out forms. The forms depend on why you need the check. Find forms on the DPSCS website. Examples are the 'Application to Receive Criminal History Record Information'. Use the 'Private Party Petition' for some reasons. CJIS Customer Service can help pick the right form. Their hours are Mon-Fri, 8 AM to 5 PM. You can email them at cjis.customerservice@maryland.gov. Their fax is 410-653-6320. The main delivery address is 6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 217, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. This is for overnight mail.

Accessing Records at Local Courthouses

You can get copies of court files. You must go to the court where the case was heard. Most criminal case files are open to the public. Ask the court clerk for help. They can tell you the steps. They can tell you copy costs. Each county court has its own contact info. Find it on the Maryland Courts website. This gives you the full court record. It includes all papers filed in the case. This is good for deep research. It is not a quick check. It takes time and maybe travel.

Information Contained Within Maryland Criminal Records

A Maryland Criminal Records Search can show many things. It lists arrests made by police. It shows the charges filed. It gives the court outcome. This is called the disposition. It might show the sentence given. Sentences can be jail time. They can be fines or probation. The record links these events. It builds a person's history with the law. It is vital to know what terms mean.

Common Dispositions Explained

• Acquittal / Not Guilty: The court found the person not guilty.

• Dismissal: The court stopped the case before a final verdict.

• Nolle Prosequi: The prosecutor decided not to pursue the charge. This often ends the case.

• Stet: The case is put on hold. It is inactive but not fully closed. It can be reopened later. This usually requires agreement.

• Probation Before Judgment (PBJ): The court finds facts to support a guilty verdict. But it does not enter a formal conviction. The person gets probation instead. If probation is done well, no conviction results. But PBJ still shows on a record unless expunged. Some PBJs cannot be expunged. This includes some drunk driving cases.

• Guilty: The person was convicted of the crime. This is a formal finding of guilt. It leads to sentencing. Convictions stay on a record. Only some types can be expunged later.

Understanding Charge "Units"

Maryland law uses the term "unit". This is found in Criminal Procedure Article, §10-107. A unit means two or more charges. They must arise from the same event. Or the same set of facts. Minor traffic charges are not part of the unit. This matters for expungement. If all charges in a unit can be expunged, the court might expunge them. If even one charge in the unit cannot be expunged, none in that unit might be. This can make records look odd. Some charge numbers might seem missing. This is normal after unit expungement.

Correcting and Clearing Records: Maryland Expungement

You may want to clear a record. Maryland allows this through expungement. Expungement removes records from public view. This includes court files. It includes police records too. It does not erase Motor Vehicle Administration records. These may still show traffic issues. Expungement helps people move on. It can make getting jobs easier. It can help with housing too. The process has rules. It has waiting times. It may have fees.

What Expungement Means in Maryland

Expungement makes records non-public. It is like they are sealed. Law enforcement might still see them. But employers and the public will not. This is different from shielding. Shielding mainly affects Case Search results. Expungement is broader. It covers police records too. The goal is removal from public inspection. Keep copies of your expungement order. You may need proof it was done. Court files are removed after expungement. You cannot get them later easily. If you are not a US citizen, talk to a lawyer first. Expunging a record could affect immigration.

Eligibility for Expungement

Not all records can be expunged. It depends on the case outcome. It depends on the type of crime. Generally, cases without a conviction can be expunged. This includes acquittal or dismissal. It includes nolle prosequi and stet. PBJ outcomes can often be expunged. But there are waits. You usually must wait three years. This is three years after the case ended. Some cases can be cleared sooner. If found not guilty, dismissed, or acquitted on or after Oct 1, 2021, the court may clear it automatically after 3 years. You can ask sooner using Form CC-DC-CR-072C. There is no fee for this.

Some convictions can be expunged. Maryland law lists specific crimes. The wait is longer for these. It is often 10 or 15 years. This time starts after the sentence ends. That includes any probation time. If a crime is no longer illegal, you can ask for expungement right away. This applies to old marijuana possession cases too. You cannot expunge if you have new charges pending. If you got a PBJ and got convicted of a new crime within 3 years, the PBJ cannot be expunged. Minor traffic offenses are an exception. Certain PBJs for driving under the influence cannot be expunged. You must wait until all charges in a case are eligible. If one charge requires a 3-year wait, the whole case waits 3 years.

The Expungement Process

You start by filing papers with the court. Use the Petition for Expungement form. There are different forms (CC-DC-CR-072 series). Pick the right one for your case outcome. File it in the court where the case ended. If it has been less than three years, you also need a General Waiver and Release form. There might be a $30 filing fee. This fee applies to expunging eligible guilty pleas. It is non-refundable. There is no fee for most non-conviction outcomes. You can ask the court to waive the fee if you cannot afford it. The State's Attorney gets notice. They can object to the expungement. If they object, the court holds a hearing. The judge decides if you get the expungement. The whole process should take about 90 days. But objections or appeals add time.

Expunging Records for Release Without Charge (RWOC)

Sometimes police arrest you but file no charges. This is a Release Without Charge (RWOC). These arrests still create a police record. You can expunge this too. The process is different. You do not go to court first. You go to the police agency that arrested you. Ask for their form to remove the arrest record. DPSCS has a form called ITCD-70-RWOC. You need your name, birth date, arrest date, and charge. You need the arresting agency name.

Relevant Laws and Resources

Expungement laws are in the Maryland Code. Look at Criminal Procedure Article, sections 10-101 through 10-109. The Maryland Courts website has great info. Visit mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/expungement. They have forms and guides. They have videos explaining the process. The People's Law Library of Maryland is another resource. Find them at peoples-law.org. They explain eligibility in detail.

The Role of the Maryland Public Information Act (PIA)

The Maryland Public Information Act, or PIA, is key. It gives people the right to see government records. This law promotes open government. It allows you to ask for many types of records. This includes some criminal justice records. But the PIA also protects privacy. It protects sensitive government data. Not all records are open to everyone.

Overview of the PIA

The PIA applies to all levels of Maryland government. State agencies must follow it. County governments must too. City and town governments are included. Any person or group can make a PIA request. You do not have to be a Maryland resident. The law aims for broad access. It helps people know what government is doing. The PIA is like the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

PIA and Access to Criminal Records

You can use the PIA to ask for criminal records. You might request police reports. You could ask for agency policies. But some records are exempt. Personnel records of officers are often private. Medical records are private. Records about ongoing probes may be withheld. Attorney advice to the agency is private. Records about inmates might be restricted. If an agency denies your request, they must say why. They must cite the specific PIA exemption. They must tell you how to appeal.

PIA Process and Resources

To make a PIA request, contact the agency holding the records. Each agency should have a PIA representative. Find their contact info online. The Attorney General's office keeps a list. Write a clear request. Say what records you want. Be as specific as you can. Send it to the PIA contact person. Agencies usually have 10 days to respond initially. They might grant the request. They might deny it. They might ask for more time.

There can be fees for PIA requests. The first two hours of search time are free. After that, they can charge for staff time. They charge based on the employee's salary. Copies cost money too. Usually $0.25 per page. You can ask for a fee waiver. Waivers might be granted if it is in the public interest. Or if you cannot afford the fee. If you have issues, help is available. The Public Access Ombudsman mediates disputes. The PIA Compliance Board hears complaints. This includes fee disputes over $350. It includes wrongful denials. The Maryland Attorney General's website has a PIA Manual. It explains the law in detail. It has sample letters. Find it at marylandattorneygeneral.gov. 

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