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ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

[photo, Maryland Judicial Center, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland] 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] 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 also assists the Chief Judge in the assignment of judges to cope with temporary backlogs or to address shortages of judicial personnel. It 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). Additionally, the Office serves as liaison for the Judiciary with the legislative and executive branches.

Maryland Judicial Center, 580 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland, August 2003. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

For the Maryland Judicial Conference, the Conference of Circuit Judges, the Conference of Circuit Clerks, and for the education and training of judges, as well as nonjudicial personnel, staff support is provided by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Heading the Office is the State Court Administrator who is appointed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals.

Office functions are carried out by seven departments: Court Research and Development; Family Administration; Finance; Human Resources; Judicial Information Systems; Legal Affairs; and Procurement and Contract Administration. The Office also is aided by the Office of Problem-Solving Courts, and the Oversight Committee on the Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund.

OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT & COURT SECURITY
In 2008, the Office of Emergency Management and Court Security was formed as the Office of Emergency Preparedness by the Administrative Office of the Courts. In December 2008, it received its present name.

To help judicial agencies plan for continuity of operations during potential natural or man-made emergencies, the Office provides advice and training. It also coordinates judicial emergency management planning with other State and local agencies.

OFFICE OF PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS
The Office of Problem-Solving Courts was formed to assist the Problem-Solving Courts Committee of the Maryland Judicial Conference.

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.

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, 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, the Department also administers funding.

FOSTER-CARE COURT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Within the Department of Family Administration is the Foster-Care Court Improvement Project. The 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.

The Project seeks to improve the effectiveness of the juvenile courts in Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) cases, termination of parental rights (TPR) cases, and adoption cases. 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 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.

DEPARTMENT OF JUDICIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

2661 Riva Road, Suite 900, Annapolis, MD 21401

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. Phase I of the Maryland Judiciary Case Search (MDJCS) program, instituted in March 2006, allows public Internet access to information from court records in civil, criminal and traffic cases in the State, except for cases originating in the circuit courts for Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. Information commonly requested by attorneys, litigants, and the general public is available through the program and includes case number, defendant name and date of birth, charge, trial date and location, and case disposition.

In partnership with the Maryland State Archives, Judicial Information Systems maintains a database of all land record images and indices which are retrievable on-line. 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 Maryland State Archives. Imaged documents may be accessed and viewed electronically by title abstractors and the public.

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 provides legal research and in-house legal review of Judiciary policies and procedures, and contracts and memoranda of understanding with other State departments and agencies.

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