Message from the Circuit Court

New Administrative Orders - Judge Barbera issued six new orders on February 2, 2021, that can be reviewed on the Maryland Judiciary website at www.courts.state.md.us/coronavirusorders.  The revised orders do not change the dates for Phase II, but clarify health measures, suspension and resumption dates for jury trials, and address time standards for fiscal year 2021.  Of most significance, jury trials will be resuming in Montgomery County on Monday, April 26, 2021, under the same protocols that existed when they were discontinued on November 16, 2020.

Vaccinations -  Vaccinations for all courthouse employees have been made available over the past several weeks.  The court has encouraged all persons to be vaccinated.  The availability of the vaccine, however, will in no way change court protocols, and this court’s administrative orders regarding screening, masking, and social distancing remain in effect, for any persons entering the courthouse.

Filing of duplicate pleadings – While the situation has improved slightly, we are still experiencing a problem in the clerk’s office with attorneys filing duplicate pleadings by email, drop box and regular mail.  This creates extra work and sows confusion among the clerks, who are looking at the same pleading filed multiple times.  Please file via only one medium: electronically, regular mail, or drop box.  Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.

Courtroom Attire – The overwhelming majority of attorneys appearing on Zoom are dressed as though they were present in court.  Occasionally, however, attorneys appear in casual attire, including sweatshirts and similar outfits.  Please remember that a Zoom appearance is a court appearance, and participants should present themselves appropriately.  This also include not having animals lurking about, or inappropriate backgrounds.

Filing of Pretrial Statements – Unfortunately, the timely filing of pretrial statements in Track 2 and 3 civil cases has become more the exception than the rule.  Scheduling orders provide the date on which pretrial statements are to be filed.  In the past, administrative judges have imposed sanctions on late filers, including fines.  While the court has no immediate plan to resume that practice, should the current trend continue all options are on the table.  Please file your pretrial statements on time.

Remote Proceedings – Our Technical Services Department has the following recommendations to improve the audio quality during remote proceedings:

• Use a high-quality microphone, headset, or earpods/earbuds with microphones
• Ensure you have a stable internet connection
• Participate from a space with no background noise or echo
• Test microphone volume before the proceeding begins
• Remain in your place once the connection is established and the environment is quiet.

Robert A. Greenberg
Administrative Judge