TheCircuit Court

Resumption of Jury Trials

Criminal jury trials will continue to be held. Jury selection will take place beginning at 9 a.m. at:

American Legion
125 York Road
Towson, Maryland 

• Jury selection will be conducted by the trial judge, or their designee. Once selected, the jury will be assigned to a specific courtroom and instructed to report to the courthouse either the same day or the following day. The jury will be sworn in when the trial commences in the courthouse.
• All specially-assigned cases have been scheduled for trial. Back up cases have also been selected. If the backup case does not proceed on the first day of trial, it will remain on the docket for an additional day. If the backup case cannot be reached, a postponement should be requested before the Criminal Administrative Judge.
• Cases from the felony or misdemeanor dockets for which a request for jury trial is made should be ready for trial in case the designated primary and backup case do not proceed.
• Counsel must file voir dire and trial exhibits through MDEC at least two days prior to the trial date. 

Non-Jury Trial Related Matters

• Criminal dockets will continue to proceed as scheduled at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1:30 p.m.
• Criminal motions will be set on dockets primarily in the afternoon.
• Contested juvenile waiver motions will be set on specialized dockets every other Friday.
• Non-jury trials will continue to be set.
• Plea dockets will be held on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Counsel wishing to schedule a plea hearing should contact the Criminal Case Manager, Brittany Jackson, at 410-887-2853 or brittany.jackson@mdcourts.gov.
• Violation of probation (VOP) bench warrant hearings will continue to be heard on the video bail docket on the next court day after pickup. If the defendant is released, the video bail judge will coordinate a VOP hearing date with the assigned judge’s chambers. If the defendant is not released, the video bail judge will advise the assigned judge so chambers can schedule a hearing.
• The Criminal Administrative Docket, which consists of the daily video bail and bench warrant hearings and postponements, will no longer be split between two judges.

• Trials and hearings already scheduled as remote proceedings will be heard remotely.
• Newly scheduled trials and hearings will be conducted in-person.
• The Office of Family Support Services will be transitioning back to in-person services.
• Requests for remote trials and hearings may be made but will only be granted for good cause.
• Subpoena hearings will resume to in-person.

The following hearings and conferences will continue to be held remotely:

• Scheduling conferences
• Pre-hearing contempt conferences
• Mediation (in-person is available upon request)
• Uncontested divorce hearings
• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status hearings
• Adoptions
• Guardianships
• Settlement Court—Requests for remote settlement conferences may be filed, but will only be granted for good cause.

Resumption of Jury Trials

Civil jury trials will continue to be held. Jury selection will take place beginning at 9 a.m. at:

American Legion
125 York Road
Towson, Maryland 

• Specially assigned protracted cases (i.e., medical malpractice cases) will proceed on their assigned trial dates. The trial judge, or his or her designee, will conduct jury selection on the first day of trial. The trial will start at the courthouse immediately following jury selection. Once selected, the jury will be assigned to a specific courtroom and instructed to report to the courthouse immediately. The jury will be sworn in when the trial commences.
• Other civil trials (i.e., one- or two-day auto torts) will be assigned to a judge the day before the trial date. Counsel will receive notification that their case will proceed to trial. Jury selection will take place on the morning of the first day of trial at the American Legion. The trial will start at the courthouse immediately following jury selection. Jurors will be instructed to report to a specific courtroom immediately after selection. Jurors will be sworn in when the trial commences.
• Backup cases (standby) will also be identified. Backup cases that do not proceed on the first day of trial will remain on the standby docket for an additional day. If the backup case is not reached, a postponement should be directed to the Lead Civil Judge. 

Non-Jury Trial Related Matters 

• All motions, administrative/district court appeals and other civil matters will remain on the dockets as scheduled.
• Afternoon dockets will continue in civil cases.
• All bench trials will proceed as scheduled.
• Civil settlement conferences—Requests for remote settlement conferences may be filed, but will only be granted for good cause.

• Initial detention hearings will continue to be held remotely until further notice.
• All delinquency matters other than initial detention hearings will now be presumed to be in-person subject to advance requests for hybrid or remote proceedings.
• Requests for remote hearings should include details for the judicial officer’s consideration.
• Delinquency dockets before magistrates will continue with morning sessions handled in-person until further notice.
• Contested hearings may be specially scheduled and will be presumed to be in-person subject to advance requests for hybrid or remote proceedings.

• All cases will be heard remotely until further notice, subject to an advance request for a hybrid or in-person hearing. Requests for in-person hearings should include details for the judicial officer’s consideration.
• Termination of parental rights (TPR) hearings will be scheduled and may be remote, hybrid or in-person as is appropriate for the particular case and judge. Contact your assigned judge in advance for instructions.

• Establishment cases will continue to be heard in Room G-10. Cases will be heard Monday through Thursday. Dockets will be staggered between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
• DNA testing will resume on alternating Mondays.
• Contempt hearings will continue before magistrates. Dockets will be held every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday plus alternating Mondays between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
• The Child Support Office will collect child support money every Tuesday and alternating Mondays between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
• Bail reviews will continue on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays at 2 p.m. before the chambers judge. Bail reviews will be conducted on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. before Judge Hennegan.