Media Requests
Requests from the media may be directed to the Court Administrator by phone at 240-777-9100, or by mail to 50 Maryland Ave, Suite 3040, Rockville, MD 20850.
Newsroom
Court Highlights & Press Releases
Court Highlights & Press Releases
Beginning in July of 2017 the Circuit Court will no longer conduct a Scheduling Conference in a Track III - Civil Case. In lieu of a Civil Track III- Scheduling Conference, which is now held approximately 90 days from filing, the parties will be issued a Civil Track III -Scheduling Packet, at the time of filing.
The Civil Track III -Scheduling Packet will contain a Scheduling Notice and Order of Court, Track III -Scheduling Order, and an Order for a Mandatory Settlement Conference/Pretrial Hearing. These Scheduling Packets will be generated in the Clerk’s Office and mailed to each party. In addition, Track III- Civil Cases will automatically be referred to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). (Parties may object to participating in ADR by filing an objection pursuant to Maryland Rule 17-202 (f), within thirty days of the entry of the ADR order.)
To facilitate the elimination of the Civil Track III- Scheduling Conference Docket, all Track III civil actions filed on or after April 3, 2017 will be issued a Civil Track III -Scheduling Packet.
Track III- Civil Cases currently set for a Scheduling Conference between April 3, 2017 and July 2017 will remain on the docket. It is anticipated that the last Civil Track III Scheduling Conference Docket will be conducted on Friday, July 7, 2017.
In addition to a reduction in our dockets, the elimination of the Track III –Scheduling Conference Docket will result in fewer court appearances, decreased litigation costs, and a reduction in staff hours spent retrieving files and processing postponements.
Please note: this will not impact Track IV Scheduling Conferences or Scheduling Conferences in Family Law matters. If you have any questions regarding these changes, please feel free to contact the Supervisor of Case Management at 240-777-9345.
Limited staff attorneys are now available to see patrons on a first-come basis during later evening hours on Tuesdays. Participants must meet income eligibility guidelines and pass a case complexity review.
The Self-Help Center is now open Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm, Tuesday, 8:00 am-8:00 pm. The last walk-in to be screened must arrive by 7:30 pm.
Location: South Tower, Rm 1500. Use the Maryland Ave. court entrance
The Clerk of the Court issues a letter warning residents about phony calls from a Sheriff's representative (PDF).
Sheriff Darren M. Popkin issues a Press Release warning residents about telephone scammers and fraudulent phone calls related to Jury Duty (PDF).
Montgomery County Circuit Court's Website Project
The following provides a brief overview of the Montgomery County Circuit Court's recent adventure into creating a new public website.
Send us an email. Suggestions and comments are always welcome!
Introduction
Over the years, the Circuit Court public-facing (Internet) website has undergone several redesigns and improvements, with the last design launched in early 2014. While the website has successfully provided court-related information to its employees, attorneys, litigants, jurors, and the general public, the most recent version relied on outdated web design practices and tools that burdened the user experience and decreased its effectiveness and functionality.
The primary goal of the New Circuit Court Website Design Project was to replace the current website with a new design, for desktop, tablet, and mobile devices, that provides a customer-centric user experience and consistently offers up-to-date information about court-provided services. A secondary goal was the creation of mobile-friendly pages for jurors, who are often visiting the courthouse for the first time.
Process
Staff hired a web designer and developer to design a more user-friendly site. They first worked with us to define the populations we were trying to reach and then built a series of designs around which we could build the website.
As part of this process, the Court streamlined the content - particularly the legal terminology - of the site to make it more understandable. The Project Team also worked to make the site and its links as accessible as possible and to enable visitors to reach a live person by telephone. Finally, staff incorporated feedback about the new designs from jurors, senior citizens, students, attorneys, members of the Montgomery County Police Department, and courthouse staff.
We hope you find the new site to be more approachable and user-friendly. Feel free to email our project team any suggestions and comments you have for improving the site.