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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.

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

Since October 2010, the Office also maintains the Domestic Violence Central Repository (Chapter 687, Acts of 2010). The Repository stores interim, temporary and final protective orders, and certain peace orders, providing quick access for judges, court personnel, and law enforcement agencies.

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 Court 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.

Functions of the Office 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 Emergency Management and Court Security, 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 or disasters, the Office provides advice and training. It also coordinates judicial emergency management planning with other State and local agencies.

OFFICE OF PROBLEM-SOLVING COURTS
2011D Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401

The Office of Problem-Solving Courts was formed to assist the problem-Solving Courts Committee of the Maryland Judicial Conference. To the problem-solving courts statewide, the Office provides centralized oversight for financial responsibility, program guidelines, grant solicitation, and creation of a statewide management information system. As of 2010, the Office also supports forty drug courts, three mental health courts, and seven truancy reduction courts within Maryland's Judiciary.


DEPARTMENT OF COURT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Within the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Department of Court Research and Development originated as Management Analysis and Research. In 2006, it restructured under its present name.

For the Judiciary, the Office oversees a statewide research agenda. It creates statistical and management reports, and plans, develops, and evaluates the effectiveness of programs and operating initiatives. The Office also provides guidance and support for obtaining grants to support new initiatives, and monitors how funds from the Judiciary are spent by grant recipients.


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 involving domestic and juvenile matters, 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 to organizations that provide legal or other services to families with cases before the Maryland courts, 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 HUMAN RESOURCES

The Department of Human Resources oversees five units: Classification, Salary and Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS); Employee Relations; Employment Services; Payroll and Leave Accounting; and Professional Development.


DEPARTMENT OF JUDICIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

2661 Riva Road, Suite 900, Annapolis, MD 21401

The Department of 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. Instituted in January 2006, the Maryland Judiciary Case Search (MDJCS) Program provides electronic access to records in civil, criminal and traffic cases from Maryland Circuit and District Courts. Information commonly requested by attorneys, litigants, and the general public is available through the Program and includes case number, names of parties, and date of birth, charge, trial date and location, and case disposition.

In partnership with the Maryland State Archives, the Department maintains a database retrievable on-line of all land record images and indices. 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 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 conducts legal research; and provides in-house legal review of Judiciary policies and procedures, and of contracts and memoranda of understanding with other State agencies.


DEPARTMENT OF PROCUREMENT & CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

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