Address Privacy

 

Can I keep my address private on court documents?

When you file court documents to open a case, the court requires you to provide copies of those documents – which will include your contact information -- to the other party. This is called service of process. In certain circumstances in which safety is a concern, you may ask the court to keep your contact information private.

What is a Request to Withhold My Address from Public Access?

If you want to open a peace order or protective order case and disclosing your address would put you at risk of further harm, file a Request to Withhold Address form with your petition. For protective order cases, use form CC-DC-DV-026; for peace order cases, use form CC-DC-PO-021. If you are a petitioner in a peace/protective order case and your petition states that disclosing your address would put you at risk of further harm, you may omit your address from all documents filed with the court, including documents in child custody, divorce, and name change cases.

What is a Motion to Seal or Otherwise Limit Inspection of a Case Record?

If the court, clerk, or commissioner denies your Request to Withhold My Address from Public Access, you may file a Motion to Seal or Otherwise Limit Inspection of a Case Record (CC-DC-053). Use this form if you want to tell the court that personal information should not be disclosed and why you believe disclosing the information will cause harm. You do not need to have a peace/protective order case to use this form.

Is there a more permanent solution?

The Maryland Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program offers victims of domestic violence and human trafficking a way to use a substitute address in place of an actual address when interacting with Maryland agencies. Call 410-260-3875.  Read a fact sheet, or watch a video about the program.

Last Updated: October 2020