How long will my case take from beginning to end?

The goal of the Court is to always have cases heard both expeditiously and timely.  The standard for the State is to have 98% of all criminal cases disposed of in 6 months, civil cases in 18 months, juvenile delinquent in 90 days, 90% of domestic cases completed in 12 months and 98% within 24 months, 100% of Child in Need of Assistance Shelter cases in 30 days, Non-shelter in 60 days and 100% Termination of Parental Rights in 180 days. 

However, many factors will impact how long it takes to bring a case to trial. 
For example:  What kind of case is it?  Is the case contested or do the parties agree on all issues?  Are there numerous parties or co-defendants in the case?  Do any of those parties live outside of the State?  Are any of the parties in the military?  Are the parties responsive or do they delay in providing responses?  Is the competency of one of the parties an issue?  Is the matter relatively simple or are the merits of the case complex?  Are the parties familiar with the Rules of Procedure or have they obtained the services of a Maryland attorney?  Are there numerous requests for postponements?  Are expert or other witnesses needed to testify?  Will mediation be required?  Could bankruptcy become an issue?

Hopefully, you can understand that it would be impossible for the Clerk's Office to tell you how long your case will take.

Disclaimer

The office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court is committed to serving the citizens of Maryland.  Every effort is made to provide accurate information and assistance regarding matters that are important to you.  Please be advised, however, that we are prohibited by law from rendering legal advice.

Responses to these frequently asked questions should not be considered legal advice and may not be applicable to your individual circumstances. Our intent is only to offer you procedural information, refererences to potential applicable Rules or Statutes, and to possibly provide you with knowledge regarding additional sources where legal information can be found.

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only.  The information is provided by the Calvert County Clerk's Office and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose.  Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

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Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of the Calvert County Clerk's Office.  We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites.  The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.  FOR LEGAL ADVICE, YOU MUST CONSULT AN ATTORNEY.

Notice:  These questions represent some of those most frequently asked to the Calvert County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.  For questions regarding matters in other circuit courts, please contact that court directly.  For District Court or Traffic matters, please see the information located on the Judiciary website:  www.mdcourts.gov - click on District Court or contact your local District Court.

For legal advice, you  must consult an attorney.