SUPREME COURT OF MARYLAND

STANDING COMMITTEE ON RULES OF PRACTICE & PROCEDURE

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

[photo, Judiciary A-POD, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland] The Supreme Court of Maryland Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure (also known as the Rules Committee), started as the Court of Appeals Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, which was appointed by order of the Court of Appeals in 1946. The Committee succeeded an ad hoc committee on rules appointed by the Court in 1940.

Rules that govern the practice and procedure of law and judicial administration in Maryland are made by the Supreme Court of Maryland. The Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure assists the Court in developing these rules.

Judiciary A-POD, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland, April 2015. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Procedural rules (also known as court rules) guide the litigant, who usually is represented by an attorney, on how to proceed when bringing a legal dispute into a State or federal court in Maryland. These mandatory rules, which have the force of law, establish a uniform process for trying cases to ensure that justice is administered fairly. Maryland Rules are accessible on the web, and in the reference section of Maryland public libraries.

The Committee formerly was at the Judiciary Education and Conference Center, 2011 Park Drive, Annapolis. In September 2019, it moved to its present address.

Appointed by the Supreme Court of Maryland, Committee members serve five-year terms. They include lawyers, judges, and others competent in judicial practice, procedures, or administration. A Senator nominated by the Senate President and a Delegate nominated by the Speaker of the House of Delegates also serve on the Committee (Code Courts & Judicial Proceedings Article, secs. 13-301 through 13-303; Maryland Rule 16-801).

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