Prince George's County Circuit Court Role
The Circuit Court for Prince George's County sits in Maryland's Seventh Judicial Circuit and serves as the county's general-jurisdiction trial court. It is the court of record for felony criminal cases, major civil matters, family law, divorce, juvenile matters, equity cases, jury trials, writs and injunctions, and appeals from the District Court. Maryland's court structure places Circuit Court above the District Court for trial-level work that requires broader jurisdiction, jury capability, or appellate review from District Court decisions.
The local Circuit Court page reports a court organization with 23 full-time judges, 7 full-time magistrates in the Family Division, 15 retired judges recalled for part-time service, and about 100 employees. The court operates from the Upper Marlboro courthouse campus, a multi-building complex around Main Street, Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Judges Drive, the County Administration Building, the Courthouse Annex, and the DuVal wing. The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the record custodian for Circuit Court files and several related services.
Prince George's County Court Offices
Prince George's County does not have numbered district courts as the primary trial court. The local table is better understood as court and office routing. Circuit Court, District Court, Orphans' Court, and the Register of Wills each serve a different record path. Use the court or office that matches the case type before requesting copies or appearing for a hearing.
| Court / Office | Address | Phone | Main Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court for Prince George's County | 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 | 301-952-3318 / 301-952-3655 | General jurisdiction, jury trials, felony, major civil, family, divorce, juvenile, equity, and appeals. |
| Clerk of the Circuit Court | 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 | 301-952-3318 | Circuit Court filings, civil and criminal files, land records, licenses, and certified copies. |
| Criminal Division | 14735 Main Street, Room M1408, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 | 301-952-3344 | Circuit criminal files, summonses, subpoenas, warrants, body attachments, writs, and bonds. |
| District Court Upper Marlboro | 14735 Main Street, Suite 173B, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772-3042 | 301-298-4000 | Traffic, landlord-tenant, small claims, misdemeanors, certain felonies, and civil jurisdiction. |
| District Court Hyattsville | 4990 Rhode Island Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781-2008 | 301-298-4200 | District Court matters for the northern county location. |
| Orphans' Court | 14735 Main Street #D4001, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773 | 301-952-3790 | Estates, wills, and some minor guardianship matters. |
| Register of Wills | 14735 Main Street, D4001, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773 | 301-952-3250 | Estate administration, probate filings, estate records, and clerk to the Orphans' Court. |
Circuit Court vs District Court
Maryland uses two main trial courts for most local court work. Circuit Court handles the broader, higher-stakes, and jury-trial side of the system. District Court handles many routine and high-volume matters, but it does not conduct jury trials. A defendant with a jury-trial right in a qualifying District Court matter can move the case to Circuit Court. Appeals from many District Court decisions also go to Circuit Court.
| Circuit Court | District Court | Orphans' Court | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Scope | Major civil cases, equity, injunctions, foreclosures, appeals, and matters beyond District Court limits. | Small claims up to $5,000, exclusive civil jurisdiction at that level, and concurrent civil jurisdiction above $5,000 but below $30,000. | Estate and will matters, not ordinary civil lawsuits. |
| Criminal Scope | Felony cases, jury trials, indictments, major criminal motions, sentencing, probation violations, and appeals. | Many misdemeanors, certain felonies, traffic crimes, and initial proceedings. | No ordinary criminal jurisdiction. |
| Family Cases | Divorce, custody, child support, juvenile, family motions, and related sensitive files. | Protective or peace orders may appear depending on case posture, but no general divorce jurisdiction. | Some minor guardianship property issues tied to probate authority. |
| Jury Trials | Yes, when the case type and law allow. | No jury trials. | No standard jury-trial role for estate administration. |
Prince George's County Case Flow
Case flow depends on the type of case and the court where it starts. A civil Circuit Court case usually begins with a complaint or petition, then moves through service, answer, motions, discovery, possible mediation or settlement events, trial or hearing, judgment, post-judgment activity, and appeal. A family case may add custody, support, financial statements, magistrate hearings, parenting issues, and restricted attachments. Sensitive records can be public in part and sealed in part.
Criminal flow: Arrest or charge › initial District Court event where applicable › indictment or information in Circuit Court › arraignment › motions and pretrial hearings › plea or trial › disposition › sentencing › appeal.
Civil flow: Complaint or petition filed › summons and service › answer or response › motions › discovery › hearing, mediation, or trial › judgment › post-judgment collection or appeal.
Appeal flow: District Court decision › Circuit Court appeal where allowed › Circuit Court judgment › Appellate Court of Maryland in most final-judgment appeals › possible discretionary review by the Supreme Court of Maryland.
Prince George's County Circuit Divisions
The Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains the filing and record side of Circuit Court operations. The local staff directory names Mahasin El Amin as Clerk of the Circuit Court and lists division contacts. Criminal Division is in Room M1408, handles Circuit Court criminal files, and is responsible for docketing pleadings plus issuing summonses, subpoenas, warrants, body attachments, writs, and bonds upon court order. Civil Law and Equity can be reached at 301-952-5000. Appeals are listed at 301-952-4053, and Foreclosures at 301-952-3399.
Family Division work sits inside Circuit Court and includes divorce, custody, child support, juvenile matters, and related case types. The local court organization includes full-time magistrates in the Family Division. Magistrates do not replace judges. They conduct certain hearings and make recommendations or rulings as allowed by Maryland rules and court assignment. Family records can include restricted child, financial, medical, or address information, so the public docket may not show every filing in full.
- Docket
- The dated activity log for a case.
- Disposition
- The way a case or charge was resolved.
- Equity
- Court authority to order relief such as injunctions or other non-money remedies.
- Magistrate
- A judicial officer assigned to hear certain matters and assist the court under rule-based authority.
Prince George's County Court Campus
The Prince George's County Courthouse campus is centered at 14735 Main Street in Upper Marlboro. The local courthouse materials describe a three-winged courthouse building, additional offices and conference rooms across Main Street in the County Administration Building, and a Courthouse Annex near Governor Oden Bowie Drive. The DuVal wing includes additions made in 1949, 1957, and 1969. The local court history is useful because a visitor may be sent to Main Street, Governor Oden Bowie Drive, the DuVal wing, a specific room, or a nearby annex depending on the transaction.
The Circuit Court hours listed in the research are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except legal holidays. The Law Library is in Room M-1400 at 14735 Main Street, phone 301-952-3438, with the same regular court-day hours. Interpreter Services are listed in Room M1401, phone 301-952-3003. Jury Duty is listed in Room M2400, phone 301-952-4385. TTY users can use Maryland Relay 711 for court directory contacts.
Visitors should allow time for courthouse screening, confirm the correct room before travel, and call the division before bringing electronics, recording equipment, large bags, or materials that may be restricted by security. The research did not locate a complete official prohibited-items list, so the best practice is to verify with the court or division before arriving.
Prince George's County Circuit History
Prince George's County court access changed in 1971, when Maryland created the District Court and moved original jurisdiction for motor vehicle offenses, landlord-tenant cases, and some other matters out of Circuit Court. That reform explains why many records that residents might expect to find in Circuit Court are now District Court matters. Traffic citations, landlord-tenant filings, small claims, and many misdemeanors generally start in District Court, while Circuit Court remains the court for jury trials, broader civil jurisdiction, felony work, family law, and appeals.
Maryland appellate names also changed. Effective December 14, 2022, the Court of Appeals became the Supreme Court of Maryland, and the Court of Special Appeals became the Appellate Court of Maryland. Older Prince George's County records may use the former names, while current court pages use the new names. Case Search was launched in January 2006, appellate case information was added in 2020, a redesigned Case Search was announced in January 2024, and statewide MDEC implementation was completed on May 6, 2024.