CECIL COUNTY

JUDICIAL BRANCH

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

CIRCUIT COURT

For the counties, Circuit Courts were established to succeed the County Courts in 1851 (Constitution of 1851, Art. IV, secs. 8, 9).

Circuit Courts are trial courts of general jurisdiction. Their jurisdiction is very broad but generally covers major civil cases and more serious criminal matters. Circuit Courts also may decide appeals from the District Court of Maryland and certain administrative agencies.

Nominated by trial courts judicial nominating commissions, Circuit Court judges are appointed by the Governor and then must successfully stand for election to continue in office for a term of fifteen years. In the first general election that occurs at least one year following the vacancy the judge was appointed to fill, the judge's name is placed on the ballot (Const., Art. IV, sec. 5). The judge may be opposed formally by one or more qualified members of the bar, with the successful candidate being elected to a fifteen-year term (Const., Art. IV, secs. 3, 5, 11, 12, 19-26).

Courthouse, 129 East Main St., Elkton, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Courthouse, 129 East Main St., Elkton, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

For the public, the Circuit Court Clerk performs certain court duties, such as filing, docketing, and maintaining legal records; recording documents that involve title to real estate; and collecting the fees, commissions, and taxes related to these functions. The Clerk also issues certain licenses. In this process, the Clerk's Office collects and distributes funds on behalf of the State, and Cecil County and its municipalities.

Operating expenses for the Clerk's Office primarily come from State General Funds, and certain support services, such as payroll and invoice processing and maintenance of budgetary accounting records, are provided by the Adminstrative Office of the Courts.

COURT ADMINISTRATION
The Court Administrator oversees the Assignment Office, Bailiffs, the Court Reporters Office, the Adult Drug Treatment Court, Family Support Services, and the Jury Office.

ADULT DRUG TREATMENT COURT
The Adult Drug Treatment Court Program of the Circuit Court is a supervised, sanction/incentive-based, comprehensive treatment program for nonviolent offenders. It provides a continuum of treatment and rehabilitation services for substance abuse offenders. Further, it forges partnerships among the drug courts, public agencies, and community-based organizations that assist them.

If deemed eligible, defendants enter the program voluntarily. Participants are required to attend regular court hearings before the Presiding Judge, participate in substance abuse treatment, and undergo frequent drug testing all while benefitting from support and guidance from the entire Drug Court Team. Participants in the Program are helped to set goals that focus on a life of sobriety, and becoming productive, law-abiding citizens.

FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES
In cases involving family law, Family Support Services provides mediation in custody matters; custody investigations; and trained personnel to respond to emergencies. It also offers mental health evaluations for alcohol and drug abuse; and information services, including procedural assistance to self-represented litigants (Maryland Rule 16-204).

JURY OFFICE
For grand juries and trial juries, the Jury Office is responsible for providing qualified prospective jurors. The Jury Commissioner coordinates jury management; maintains and monitors the jury summons process; and schedules jurors for Circuit Court appearances.

"Hammering Heart" sculpture (2015), by Matthew Harris, Unity Square Garden, Cecil County Courthouse, 129 East Main St., Elkton, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Grand Jury. A grand jury evaluates the State’s Attorney's evidence against a person, and decides whether there is probable cause for a criminal charge. This process protects the accused and the public from unwarranted prosecution. It forces the State to show that it is seeking a conviction based on more than rumor or speculation. Prosecuted by the State's Attorney, criminal cases are brought by the State against one or more people accused of committing a crime. The person accused of the crime is the defendant. The State must prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the defendant committed the alleged crime.

A grand jury is a group of up to 23 people who are called together to receive and hear evidence to determine whether probable cause exists to charge someone with a crime, and to conduct certain investigations.

Trial Jury. A trial jury listens to evidence in a courtroom, and decides the guilt or innocence of a defendant in a criminal case, or the liability and damages of parties in a civil case. Civil cases are disputes between private individuals, corporations, governments, government agencies, or other organizations. Usually, the party that brings the suit (the plaintiff) asks for money damages for some wrong alleged to have been done by the defendant.

A trial jury is generally made up of twelve people for criminal cases, and six for civil cases.

SHERIFF

Sheriff's Office, 107 Chesapeake Blvd., Elkton, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

With the Constitution of 1864, for the first time, voters began to directly elect one sheriff for each county and one for Baltimore City. To qualify for office, the minimum age was raised to at least twenty-five (Constitution of 1864, Art. IV, sec. 49).

The Constitution of 1867 did not alter the requirements of office (Const. of 1867, Art. IV, sec. 44). By constitutional amendment in 1922, the term of office was lengthened to four years (Chapter 227, Acts of 1922, ratified Nov. 7, 1922; Const., Art. XVII, sec. 7).

An officer of the Circuit Court, the Sheriff is elected by the voters to a four-year term. To be eligible for the office of Sheriff, a person must be at least twenty-five years of age and must have been a County resident for at least five years immediately preceding election (Const., Art. IV, sec. 44; Code Courts & Judicial Proceedings Article, secs. 2-301 through 2-311).

The work of the Sheriff's Office is organized under two divisions: Correctional Facility, and Law Enforcement.

CORRECTIONAL FACILITY DIVISION
Under the Correctional Facility Division are the Community Correction Center, and the Detention Center.

DETENTION CENTER
Constructed in 1983, the Detention Center opened in 1984.

Persons held at the Detention Center are either awaiting trial, or have been convicted, and received sentences of up to 18 months.

LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION
The Law Enforcement Division is organized into three sections: Administrative Services, Criminal Investigation, and Patrol.

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SECTION
The Criminal Investigation Section is responsible for the County Drug Task Force and School Resources.

PATROL SECTION
Within the Sheriffs Office, the Patrol Section operates through the Canine Unit and the Traffic Unit.

DISTRICT COURT

District Court/Multi-Service Center, 170 East Main St., Elkton, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Small claims (civil cases involving amounts not exceeding $5,000) also come under the jurisdiction of the District Court. In civil cases involving amounts over $5,000 (but not exceeding $30,000), the District Court has concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit courts.

Since the District Court provides no juries, a person entitled to and electing a jury trial must proceed to the Circuit Court (Code Courts & Judicial Proceedings Article, secs. 1-601 through 1-608, 2-601 through 2-607, 4-101 through 4-405, 6-403, 7-301, 7-302, 9-201, 11-402, 11-701 through 11-703, 12-401 through 12-404; Code Criminal Procedure Article, sec. 6-101; Code Family Law Article, secs. 4-501 through 4-510).

District Court judges are appointed to ten-year terms, by the Governor with Senate consent. They do not stand for election (Const., Art. IV, sec. 41D).

Upon recommendation of the District Administrative Judge, the Chief Judge of the District Court appoints the Administrative Clerk (Const., Art. IV, sec. 41F).

District Court/Multi-Service Center, 170 East Main St., Elkton, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Commissioners in a district are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the District Administrative Judge, with approval of the Chief Judge of the District Court (Const., Art. IV, sec. 41(a)(2); Code Courts & Judicial Proceedings Article, secs. 2-602, 2-607).

ORPHANS' COURT

County Courthouse, 129 East Main St., Elkton, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Orphans' Court judges are responsible for approving administration accounts, and making sure that only appropriate payments are made from estate assets and that distributions are made to the proper beneficiaries or heirs. Generally, payment of attorney's fees or personal representative's commissions made from estate assets also must be approved by the Court.

Elected by the voters to four-year terms, three judges comprise the Orphans' Court. To be eligible for the office of Orphans' Court Judge, a person must have been a citizen of the State and County resident for at least one year immediately preceding election (Const., Art. IV, sec. 40; Code Estates & Trusts Article, secs. 2-101 through 2-109). The Chief Judge is designated by the Governor (Code Estates & Trusts Article, sec. 2-107).

REGISTER OF WILLS
In 1776, the office of Register of Wills was authorized for each county by Maryland's first Constitution (Constitution of 1776, sec. 41). Originally, the Register of Wills was appointed by the Governor upon joint recommendation of the Senate and House of Delegates. With the Constitution of 1851, however, the voters began to directly elect the Register to a six-year term (Constitution of 1851, Art. IV, sec. 18; Constitution of 1864, Art. IV, sec. 46; Constitution of 1867, Art. IV, sec. 41). In 1922, quadrennial elections were authorized for registers of wills, and instituted in 1926. Since that time, registers have been elected to four-year terms (Chapter 227, Acts of 1922, ratified 1924; Const., Art. XVII, sec. 7).

The Register of Wills serves as clerk to the Orphans' Court, overseeing the administration of decedents' estates, and providing assistance (such as providing proper forms) to persons administering those estates. The Register also collects inheritance taxes and other fees. Inheritance tax collections (less the commissions earned on those collections) are remitted to the State's General Fund.

Certain support services, such as payroll, maintenance of accounting records, and related fiscal functions, are provided to the Register of Wills by the Comptroller of Maryland.

Elected by the voters, the Register serves a four-year term (Const., Art. IV, sec. 41; Code Estates & Trusts Article, secs. 2-201 through 2-212).

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance

Maryland Manual On-Line

© Copyright Maryland State Archives