Maryland State Courts Extend Court Closures Through May 1.
The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals has issued an order postponing all civil and criminal proceedings through 5/1/20. All circuit and district court matters, including jury trials, scheduled to be heard beginning March 17, 2020, through May 1, 2020, unless they are of a case type listed below, are postponed, unless otherwise ordered by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. As Attorney Eric T. Kirk will tell you.
In the Circuit Courts:
- bail reviews/bench warrants
- arraignments for detained defendants
- juvenile detention hearings
- peace order petitions (juvenile respondents)
- emergency evaluation petitions
- quarantine and isolation petitions
- extradition cases
- body attachments
- extreme risk protective order appeals
In the District Court:
- bail reviews/bench warrants
- emergency evaluation petitions
- quarantine and isolation violations
- body attachments
District Court Commissioners shall handle:
- new extreme risk protective order petitions
- new domestic violence protective petitions
- new peace order petitions (adult respondents)
- initial appearances
- applications for statement of charges
- acceptance of bail bonds
- bench warrant satisfactions
All other emergency matters:
The administrative judge or his or her designee shall review the petition, including those listed below, determine whether it must be heard in person, or can be heard with remote electronic participation, or can be scheduled after the emergency period has ended, or can be resolved without a hearing:
- shelter care hearings and/or related adjudications
- emergency delinquency hearings
- emergency Habeas Corpus petitions
- emergency issues in guardianship matters
- domestic violence protective orders
- appeals from peace orders
- family law emergencies
- temporary restraining orders
- criminal competency matters
- motions regarding: extreme risk protective orders, domestic violence protective orders, peace orders
- contempt hearings related to peace or protective orders
- matters involving locally incarcerated defendants
Source: ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF STATEWIDE JUDICIARY RESTRICTED OPERATIONS DUE TO THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY
