Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Maryland Eighth Circuit
| Local Courts |
|---|
|
| Trial courts and judges |
| Elections by state |
| Judicial selection by state |
| View courts by state: |
The Maryland 8th Circuit Court resides in Maryland. Click on the links below to learn more about the court's...
Jurisdiction
This court holds the following jurisdiction:[1]
| “ | The circuit courts for Maryland, located in all 23 counties and Baltimore City, are the trial courts of general jurisdiction. Circuit courts generally handle the state’s major civil cases and more serious criminal matters, along with juvenile cases, family matters, such as divorce, and most appeals from the District Court, orphans’ courts and administrative agencies. The circuit courts also can hear, under certain circumstances, civil or criminal cases from the District Court, in which one of the parties has requested a jury trial; cases are ordinarily tried in the District Court if the penalty is three or more years in prison, a fine of $2,500 or more, or both; and domestic violence cases.[2] | ” |
Judges
Elections
Maryland is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Maryland, click here.
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2025
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2024
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2023
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2022
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2021
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2020
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2019
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2017
- Maryland local trial court judicial elections, 2016
- Maryland judicial elections, 2014
- Maryland judicial elections, 2012
- Maryland judicial elections, 2010
Selection method
- See also: Judicial selection in the states
- See also: Assisted appointment
The 152 judges of the eight Maryland circuits are chosen by the governor with help from a nominating commission. The judges of this court do not need to be confirmed by the Maryland State Senate.[3][4]
Circuit judges serve for one year, after which they must run in nonpartisan elections if they wish to continue serving.[5] If re-elected, they serve for 15 years.[3][4]
The chief judge of each circuit court is chosen by seniority.[3]
Qualifications
To join either of these courts, a judge must be:[3]
- a U.S. and state citizen;
- a registered state voter;
- a state resident for at least five years;
- a circuit resident for at least six months;
- a state bar member;
- at least 30 years old; and
- under the age of 70 (retirement at 70 is mandatory).
Judicial elections in Maryland
- See also: Maryland judicial elections
Maryland is one of seven states that use nonpartisan elections to initially select judges and then use retention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
Primary election
Circuit and orphans' court judges compete in a partisan primary for the Republican and/or Democratic nomination. Candidates may cross-file with both parties. The candidates who receive the most votes from each primary advance to the general election to compete against each other, as well as any minor party or independent candidates.[6][7]
An example of the elections process for the circuit courts provided by the Maryland State Board of Elections:
| “ |
|
” |
| —Maryland State Board of Elections[7] | ||
General election
Appellate judges stand for retention in the general election. Trial court judge candidates who advanced from the partisan primary run in the general election without party affiliation.[8]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Maryland Judiciary, "Maryland’s Judicial System," published May 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Maryland," archived October 27, 2010
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 American Judicature Society, "Judicial Selection in the States: Maryland; Overview," archived October 26, 2010
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Judicial Elections," accessed January 19, 2015
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Judicial Candidates," accessed April 7, 2014
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Maryland State Board of Elections, "2012 Elections - Circuit Court, Judicial Candidates," accessed June 17, 2014
- ↑ Maryland Election Law, "§ 9-210. Arrangement of ballots — Candidates and offices," accessed April 7, 2014
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Maryland • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Maryland
State courts:
Maryland Supreme Court • Appellate Court of Maryland • Maryland District Courts • Maryland Circuit Courts • Maryland Orphans' Court
State resources:
Courts in Maryland • Maryland judicial elections • Judicial selection in Maryland
