![[photo, Maryland Judicial Center, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/33jud/images/i005895b.jpg)
In 1944, administrative direction for the courts of Maryland became the responsibility of the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals as "the administrative head of the Judicial system of the State" (Constitution, present Art. IV, sec. 18(b)). Not until 1955, however, did the General Assembly take steps to provide professional administrative staff to assist the Chief Judge with these duties. In that year, the Administrative Office of the Courts was formed (Chapter 343, Acts of 1955).
Maryland Judicial Center, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland, December 2000. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
![[photo, Maryland Judicial Center, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/33jud/images/1198-1-495b.jpg)
The Office helps the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals oversee and implement court policies established by the Chief Judge, the Court of Appeals, and the General Assembly. The Office prepares and administers the Judiciary budget; operates information systems; engages in planning; conducts research; and gathers and analyzes statistics and other management information (Code Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, sec. 13-101). The Office also assists the Chief Judge in the assignment of judges to cope with temporary backlogs or to address shortages of judicial personnel. Additionally, the Office serves as liaison for the Judiciary with the legislative and executive branches.
In October 2010, the Office was authorized to maintain the Domestic Violence Central Repository (Chapter 687, Acts of 2010). The Repository stores interim, temporary and final protective orders, and certain peace orders, providing quick access for judges, court personnel, and law enforcement agencies.
Maryland Judicial Center, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland, August 2003. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Heading the Office is the State Court Administrator who is appointed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals.
Functions of the Office are carried out by eight departments: Budget and Finance; Court Operations; Facilities Administration; Family Administration; Human Resources; Judicial Information Systems; Legal Affairs; and Procurement and Contracts Administration. The Office also is aided by Program Services, the Office of Problem-Solving Courts, and the Oversight Committee on the Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund.
Established in 1995, the Oversight Committee on the Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund advises the State Court Administrator on managing and dispersing the Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund. The Committee has five members (Chapter 566, Acts of 1995; Code Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, secs. 13-601 through 13-606).
The Office of Problem-Solving Courts was formed to assist the Problem-Solving Courts Committee of the Maryland Judicial Conference. To the problem-solving courts statewide, the Office provides centralized oversight for financial responsibility, program guidelines, grant solicitation, and creation of a statewide management information system. As of 2012, the Office also supports forty-two drug courts, three mental health courts, and nine truancy reduction courts within Maryland's Judiciary.
Judiciary Education & Conference Center, 2011-D Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, Maryland, January 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
For the Judiciary, the Office oversees a statewide research agenda. It plans, develops, and evaluates the effectiveness of programs and operating initiatives; and creates statistical and management reports. The Office also provides guidance and support for obtaining grants to support new initiatives, and monitors how funds from the Judiciary are spent by grant recipients.
To help judicial agencies plan for continuity of operations during potential natural or man-made emergencies or disasters, the Department provides advice and training. It also coordinates judicial emergency management planning with other State and local agencies.
Since 1998, the Department of Family Administration has overseen the establishment of family divisions and programs in each jurisdiction. The Department works with judges, court administrators, and family support services coordinators to identify and promote best practices in legal proceedings involving domestic and juvenile matters, such as: adoption; child support; child in need of assistance (CINA); child in need of supervision (CINS); custody; divorce; domestic violence; guardianship; involuntary admission; juvenile delinquency; name change; paternity; termination of parental rights; and visitation. For service providers and court professionals, the Department also develops standards and evaluation protocols, collects data and statistical information to support policy development and funding requests, and disseminates information on services, projects and grants, and funding availability.
The Department works with judges, masters, court administrators, and service providers to develop family law policy and identify what services families need and how to provide them. Through Special Projects grants to organizations that provide legal or other services to families with cases before the Maryland courts, the Department also administers funding.
Within the Department is the Foster-Care Court Improvement Project.
FOSTER-CARE COURT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
The Project seeks to improve the effectiveness of the juvenile courts in cases conserned with Child in Need of Assistance (CINA), termination of parental rights (TPR), and adoption. Primarily funded by federal grants, the Project involves juvenile court judges and masters, court personnel, representatives of social service agencies, attorneys, and other experts in child welfare. To meet federal requirements in order to receive federal funds, a State plan, Improving Court Performance for Abused and Neglected Children, was issued in 1997, and the Foster Care Court-Improvement Implementation Committee was established.
The Department of Judicial Information Systems administers data processing systems; collects and analyzes statistics, and maintains computer hardware and software for the Judiciary. The Department also helps State and local judicial agencies meet their data processing and information technology needs. From judicial data files, Judicial Information Systems provides information to judicial, criminal justice and law enforcement agencies.
The Department developed and maintains internet access to various electronic court records. Instituted in January 2006, the Maryland Judiciary Case Search (MDJCS) Program provides electronic access to records in civil, criminal and traffic cases from Maryland Circuit and District Courts. Information commonly requested by attorneys, litigants, and the general public is available through the Program and includes case number, names of parties, and date of birth, charge, trial date and location, and case disposition.
In partnership with the Maryland State Archives, the Department maintains a database retrievable on-line of all land record images and indices. The Electronic Land Record Optical Imagery (ELROI) System scans recordable land record instruments and inputs the images into mdlandrec.net, an electronic archival and preservation system at the State Archives. Imaged documents may be accessed and viewed electronically by title abstractors and the public.
Under the Department are Major Information Technology Projects, Operations, and Planning and Application Services.
For the Judiciary, the Board advises the Executive Director of Judicial Information Systems about long-term needs and strategies for developing and managing information technology. The Board provides guidance to the Judiciary on the priority of technology projects; computer software, hardware, and related technology design; the integrity of Judiciary data; and changes and trends in computer and systems technology.
The Board is assisted by the Maryland Electronic Courts Advisory Committee.
MARYLAND ELECTRONIC COURTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
For the Technology Oversight Board, the Committee assesses needs of and makes recommendations concerning planning, implementation, testing, and evaluation of the Maryland Electronic Courts project. Still in the planning stage, Maryland Electronic Courts will be a single integrated case-management system used by all courts within the Maryland Judiciary. It will replace the varied systems currently in use. The new system will enable electronic document filing and fee payments 24 hours per day. It will provide quick information-sharing with law enforcement and other agencies, generate useful reports and statistics, improve case processing, reduce delays, and allow access to court information from anywhere, at any time.
? Copyright Maryland State Archives
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON THE CIRCUIT COURT REAL PROPERTY RECORDS IMPROVEMENT FUND
The Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund was created in 1991 (Chapter 327, Acts of 1991). In each county and Baltimore City, the Fund is used to repair, replace, modernize, and maintain equipment in the local land records office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Surcharges on the land records of each county and Baltimore City finance the Fund (Code Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, secs. 13-601 through 13-606).
![[photo, Judiciary Education & Conference Center, 2011-D Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/33jud/images/1198-1-06294b.jpg)
OFFICE OF PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS
Judiciary Education & Conference Center, 2011-D Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401
DEPARTMENT OF COURT OPERATIONS
Within the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Department of Court Operations originated as Management Analysis and Research. In 2006, it restructured as the Department of Court Research and Development, and adopted its present name in May 2013.
DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES ADMINISTRATION
In May 2013, the Department of Facilities Administration formed from Administrative Services.
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY ADMINISTRATION
In 1998, Family Divisions were established within the circuit courts of Baltimore City and four counties (those having seven or more judges): Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County. At that time, in the circuit courts of the other nineteen counties, family services programs were begun.
The Foster-Care Court Improvement Project was initiated in 1994 to assess and improve the performance of juvenile courts in child abuse and neglect cases. In 2000, the Project was placed within the Department of Family Administration.
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
The Department of Human Resources oversees five units: Classification, Salary and Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS); Employee Relations; Employment Services; Payroll and Leave Accounting; and Professional Development.
DEPARTMENT OF JUDICIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
2661 Riva Road, Suite 900, Annapolis, MD 21401
TECHNOLOGY OVERSIGHT BOARD
In 1999, the Technology Oversight Board was formed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. In 2007, the Board was reformed and its duties clarified.
The Maryland Electronic Courts Advisory Committee began as the Maryland Integrated Case-Management System Advisory Committee, which was convened in Spring 2007 by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. In 2011, the Committee adopted its present name.
DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS
The Department of Legal Affairs organized in 2001. The Department advises the State Court Administrator on legal issues relating to administrative matters, including personnel and procurement. In addition, the Department conducts legal research; and provides in-house legal review of Judiciary policies and procedures, and of contracts and memoranda of understanding with other State agencies.
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