Clerk's Office

Telephone Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 pm
Walk In Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm

TO CONTACT US CALL: 410-222-1180
TELEPHONE HOURS: 9:00 AM TO 4:00 PM

An appeal is filed when a party desires a superior court to review the decision of an inferior court (or Administrative Agency).

Circuit Court 

If the case originated in the Circuit Court and a party appeals a final order of the Circuit Court, then the appeal is taken to the Court of Specials. (COSA) The appeal may be filed in the Appeals Department or at the front desk in the Civil Department.

When filing an appeal to the Court of Special Appeals, the non-refundable fee is $110.00, to be submitted as two separate checks ($60.00 and $50.00), both payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The $60.00 fee is case preparation and filing fee for the Circuit Court, the $50.00 is deposited in a separate non-interest bearing escrow account and later redrafted as fees to be sent to the Court of Special Appeals with the record.

Pursuant to MD Rule 8-205, a Civil Appeal Pre-hearing Information Report must be completed and sent to the Court of Special Appeals when an appeal is filed. The form is also available in the Appeals Department.

If transcript(s) are required for an appeal, they are to be procured by the party filing the appeal. The appellant must notify the Court Reporter’s Office at 410-222-1457, pay in advance and submit an order form online. When the Court Reporter receives the transcript(s), and transcript(s) are filed by a Civil or Criminal Clerk, they then become an official part of the record. Transcript(s) are then sent to COSA, as a part of the case file and record.

District Court

If the case originated in the District Court and a final order was issued there, then the decision can be appealed to the Circuit Court. (Parties have one "right of appeal") After a final order is issued in the Circuit Court, further appeal would then be by Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Court of Appeals, since the right of appeal has already been used.

Administrative Agency Appeal

An Administrative Agency Appeal is taken by filing a "Petition for Judicial Review" in the Circuit Court from an agency, among which are the following :

Maryland Parole Commission
Dept. Public Safety & Corrections
Workman’s Compensation Commission
Board of Appeals
Anne Arundel County Planning & Zoning
Department of Labor and Licensing (DLLR) see MD Rule 7-202

Please Refer to the Maryland Rules of Procedure for time constraints pertaining to any of the above actions.