District Court of Maryland Phone Numbers and Hours

The main phone number for the District Court of Maryland is 410-260-1392, which reaches the District Court Help Center. Lawyers there answer free civil legal questions Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. That line is the right first call for most people, but it isn’t the only number you might need. Case-specific questions go to the clerk’s office at your local courthouse, traffic fines have their own automated line, e-filing has a technical support desk, and accessibility services route separately.

The District Court Help Center Line

Call 410-260-1392 when you have a legal question about a civil District Court matter and you’re representing yourself. The Help Center is staffed by attorneys, not clerks, so they can go beyond procedural information and actually answer legal questions at no cost. They cover landlord-tenant disputes, small and large claims, debt collection and car repossession, expungement and record shielding, domestic violence and peace orders, and return-of-property actions like replevin.

Phone and live-chat hours run 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, longer than any clerk’s office. Walk-in help at physical Help Center locations is available 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The attorneys can’t represent you in court, and they can only assist the person with the legal problem directly, not relatives, agents, or businesses calling on someone else’s behalf.1Maryland Courts. District Court Help Centers

Calling Your Local Courthouse for Case Questions

For hearing dates, payment status, or whether a document was received, you need the clerk at the courthouse handling your case, not the Help Center. Maryland’s District Court system covers twelve judicial districts across all twenty-three counties and Baltimore City, and each courthouse has its own direct line. Baltimore City alone has four District Court locations. Anne Arundel, Baltimore County, Prince George’s, and Worcester counties each have two or more.

The Maryland Judiciary posts a full directory of District Court locations, addresses, and phone numbers at mdcourts.gov.2Maryland Courts. District Court Locations Directory If you’re not sure which courthouse holds your case, look yourself up on Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us. The case record shows the venue, and from there the directory gives you the number. Calling the correct office the first time matters, because staff at one courthouse generally can’t pull records from another.

Paying a Traffic Citation by Phone

To pay a minor traffic fine and plead guilty without appearing in court, use the automated payment line at (800) 492-2656. Have your citation number and a credit or debit card ready. The system takes full payments only; for a partial payment or a payment plan, call the clerk’s office at the courthouse listed on your ticket.3Maryland Courts. MDOR – Minor Traffic

Paying by phone is a guilty plea. If you want to contest the citation, request a waiver hearing, or ask about traffic school, don’t use the automated line. Call the local clerk instead.

E-Filing Technical Support

Maryland’s electronic filing system, MDEC, handles submissions to both the District Court and Circuit Courts. For technical trouble with registration, filings, or document retrieval, call 410-260-1430 or toll-free 888-216-8156. Thurgood Marshall State Law Library staff also provide hands-on MDEC help at the same local number.4Maryland Courts. MDEC E-Filing Support This line is for platform problems only. Questions about what to file or which form to use belong at the Help Center or your local clerk.

Accessibility and Language Services

Callers who are deaf or hard of hearing can reach any Maryland court through Maryland Relay by dialing 7-1-1, or through Telecommunications Access of Maryland at 1-800-637-4113 (TTY/Voice). For physical accommodations at a courthouse, each District Court location has its own ADA Coordinator. To find the right one, call the Administrative Office of the Courts ADA Coordinator at 410-260-1277.5Maryland Judiciary. ADA Coordinators

Spoken-language interpreters have to be requested at least thirty days ahead of the hearing using Form CC-DC-041, filed with the specific courthouse hearing your case. If the hearing is postponed, the court carries the interpreter request forward to the new date.

What Clerks Can and Cannot Tell You Over the Phone

Knowing the limits of the clerk’s line will save you a second call. Under Maryland law, giving legal advice is the practice of law, and clerks are not permitted to do it. They can’t interpret statutes, recommend a strategy, predict how a judge will rule, or tell you whether your documents are legally sufficient. They can confirm a filing was received, but not that it was prepared correctly.

What clerks can share is procedural: filing fees, hearing dates, how to get standardized forms, and where to file specific documents. “How much does it cost to file a small claims case?” is a clerk question. “Should I file a small claims case?” is a Help Center question.

Office Hours and Holiday Closures

District Court clerk offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on court holidays. The Help Center’s phone line runs until 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, so use it for evening calls. District Court Commissioners are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, for charging documents, warrants, initial appearances, and bail bonds.

Maryland courts close for thirteen holidays in 2026:

  • January 1: New Year’s Day
  • January 19: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
  • February 16: Presidents’ Day
  • May 25: Memorial Day
  • June 19: Juneteenth
  • July 3: Independence Day (observed)
  • September 7: Labor Day
  • October 12: Columbus Day
  • November 3: Election Day
  • November 11: Veterans’ Day
  • November 26: Thanksgiving Day
  • November 27: American Indian Heritage Day
  • December 25: Christmas Day
6Maryland Courts. Court Holidays

What to Have Ready Before You Call

Calling prepared turns one call into one call. The single most useful thing to have is your case number, which appears on any official court document such as a summons, notice of hearing, or filing confirmation. You can also look it up on Maryland Case Search. For a traffic matter, the citation number on your physical ticket is what the clerk pulls up. If you don’t have either, be ready with the full legal names of every party, and expect the lookup to take longer with common last names.

Have something to write with. Clerks may give you rescheduled dates, payment confirmation numbers, or filing instructions you’ll want on paper.

Quick Reference: Key Phone Numbers