Frederick County Courthouses

Being charged with a crime has the ability to catapult defendants into the often-confusing world of the legal system; to help defendants understand the process they face, the following contains a brief breakdown of legal statistics for Frederick County, Maryland, and a description of the local court system. The Maryland court system can be broken down into four levels that consist of two trial courts and two appellate courts. The trial courts examine evidence presented in a case and pass judgment founded on that evidence.
Appellate courts do not hear new cases; instead, they review previous verdicts from trial courts and decide if the judge adhered to the law and followed proper legal precedent. In Maryland, there are four types of courts: orphans’ courts, district courts, circuit courts, and appellate courts. The courts that most people encounter are the district courts and the circuit courts.

What Causes a Case to Go to Trial?

One of the most important reasons a case may go to trial is when the accused says they are innocent. Going to trial to determine whether or not the state can prove its case. Other situations might include a defense attorney seeing an opportunity to challenge the evidence as being insufficient to prove the government’s case beyond a reasonable doubt.

District Court

The district court hears cases related to traffic and boating violations, landlord-tenant problems, and small claims up to 30,000 dollars. The District Court’s responsibilities include conducting preliminary hearings for any crime committed in Maryland. The district court also hears misdemeanor cases and certain felonies. There are no juries in a district court; cases are presented before a single judge.

DUI Cases in the District Court

DUI charges in the district court are treated seriously because they are not just considered crimes an individual is committing that might have harmed themself but also there is a possibility for harm to the community. People who are operating under the influence of alcohol are considered particularly dangerous and, for that reason, these cases are treated seriously.

Circuit Court

Circuit courts usually hear civil cases that include juvenile and family law in addition to more serious criminal cases. Circuit court cases are often murders, rapes, armed robberies, burglaries,  and other particularly serious and particularly dangerous. Other cases can also go to the circuit court if the accused determines that they would prefer to have their case heard by a jury.
In a circuit court, cases are generally presented before a jury, but sometimes they are presented in the absence of a jury with only a judge presiding. The Frederick County Circuit Court is located at 100 W. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701. The court’s hours of operations are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday except during legal holidays. For general information, call 301-600-1976. The toll-free number for residents is 1-800-341-8797.

Appellate Courts

There are two appellate courts in the state of Maryland: the Court of Special Appeals and the Court of Appeals. The Court of Special Appeals reviews decisions from circuit or orphans’ courts. The Court of Appeals is the highest-ranking court in Maryland. Though the court decides which cases it hears, it is required to hear cases regarding redistricting.

How General District Court Judges Are Chosen

Judges in the district court are usually chosen by an application process where a committee reviews the applications. The governor’s office makes final determinations about who should and should not be appointed as the judge in a particular county or the general district court.

Frederick County Criminal Lawyers

Though defendants have the option to defend themselves in court, it is advisable that they seek professional legal counsel in order to have a good chance of getting through their charges with the minimal impact. Additionally, a lawyer may be able to argue for an arraignment if the charge in question is a defendant’s first. Defense attorneys can also advise defendants on their best course of action and prevent them from saying or doing something that could lead to self-incrimination. If you need information or representation concerning criminal charges in Frederick County, or Maryland generally, then don’t hesitate to contact Kush Arora Attorney at Law (301) 761 4842 for a free consultation.