What can the public 
see about me in 
court records and on 
Maryland Case Search? 

This brochure will help you 
understand how to access state court 
records in Maryland. It will also tell 
you when the court can limit or deny 
public access to records. 

What are court records? 
Court records include: 
• Documents 
• Information 
• Exhibits 
• Other things that a court maintainsin connection with a case 
• Information found online on 
Maryland Case Search 

What records can the public see? 
All court records are open to the public, 
except as restricted by law. 
Some records are not open to the public 
without a court order or a provision of law 
that specifically permits access. This includes 
records about: 
• Adoption; 
• Guardianship terminating parental rights; 
• Juvenile delinquency; 
• Child in need of assistance cases (CINA); 
• Certain marriage license information; 
• Emergency mental health evaluations; 
• Income tax returns; and 
• Financial statements filed in a case about 
spousal or child support. 

The public should not be able to see: 
• Who reported abuse of a vulnerable adult; 
• The location and contact information of 
government employees; 
• Your social security or federal tax identificationnumber; 
• Financial or medical account numbers; or 
• Who requests and receives a copy of a sexoffender list or sexual predator registration 
statement. 

By request, the court may restrict the public’s 
access to a specific case or specific information in 
that case. For more information on how to make 
this request, see the brochures: 
• Can I Keep the Public from Seeing Information 
about Me in a Court Case? 
• Can I Keep the Public from Seeing Information 
about Me in a Peace or Protective Order Case? 
• Expungement of Criminal Records 
• Expungement of Juvenile Records 


What information is available online on Case Search? 
Maryland Case Search provides public access to some case records. The Maryland Judiciary maintains 
this website. Anyone can search for these records at: 
www.mdcourts.gov/casesearch 
Case Search is not the official court record. It does not have all of the information that is in the 
court file. 
Case Search should not include certain personal information about victims or non-party witnesses in: 
• criminal cases; 
• domestic violence cases; and 
• peace order cases. 
However, personal information may still be available online if the person has another role in the case 
(separate from being a victim or non-party witness), unless the court grants that person’s request to 
limit public access to court records. 
If you find information on Case Search that you believe is inaccurate or should not be open to the 
public, please notify in writing the court where the original record was created or filed. You can 
submit your written request to the Clerk’s Office by mail or in person. 
See the brochures: 
• Can I Keep the Public from Seeing Information about Me in a Court Case? 
• Can I Keep the Public from Seeing Information about Me in a Peace or Protective Order Case? 
• Expungement of Criminal Records 
• Expungement of Juvenile Records 


Who notifies the court if the record contains information 
that should not be public? 
The person who files the court record must notify the court if the record contains something that 
should not be open to the public. The notification must be in writing and identify the specific 
information. The court will determine whether the information is subject to public inspection. 
If you find out that something in the court record should not be open to public inspection, notify 
the court in writing, and specify which information. If the court does not limit public access, you 
may file a motion and a judge will make the determination. See the brochures listed above. 
This brochure was created by the Maryland Access to Justice Commission with the 
help of the Maryland Judiciary’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs 10/14. 

For more information 
See Maryland Rules 16-1001 et seq.; 1-322.1. 
Court forms are available on the Maryland Judiciary’s website at 
www.mdcourts.gov/courtforms. 
Read Maryland’s laws at www.mdcourts.gov/lawlib/researchtools/ 
sourcesmdlaw.html. 
Visit the People’s Law Library of Maryland, an online legal resource, 
at www.peoples-law.org. 
Visit any public law library in person. Call 410.260.1430 or find out 
more online at www.mdcourts.gov/lawlib. 
Visit or call the Clerk’s Office of the court that heard your case. 
MARYLAND ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION 
www.mdcourts.gov/mdatjc
410.260.1258