Search Harford County Civil Court Records
Harford County civil court records are maintained by the Circuit Court clerk in Bel Air. If you are looking for filed cases, judgments, or court documents from this northeastern Maryland county, you can search the state's free online portal or contact the clerk's office directly. Civil case data online goes back to May 1998, and in-person access is available at the courthouse on West Courtland Street. This page covers the search tools, clerk contacts, fees, and other details that help you find the civil records you need in Harford County.
Harford County Overview
How to Search Harford County Civil Court Records
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal is the main free tool for looking up Harford County civil court records. It covers all Maryland courts in one place and is updated nightly. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney. For civil filings in Harford County, the online data starts on May 4, 1998. Cases filed before that date are not in the system and need to be requested from the clerk directly.
By default, Case Search uses exact name matching. If you are unsure of a spelling, add a percent sign (%) after the last name to switch to a partial match search. So "Harmon%" would return Harmon, Harmons, Harmondson, and so on. This is worth knowing when you hit a dead end with an exact search. Keep in mind that the portal shows case summaries and docket entries. It does not provide images of the actual documents. If you need copies of the filed papers themselves, you will have to go through the clerk's office in Bel Air.
The Maryland Courts updated their online portal on March 14, 2026. Some navigation elements may look different from what you have seen in the past, but the basic search functions are unchanged.
The Harford County Circuit Court Clerk page on the Maryland Courts website lists department numbers, hours, and service details for the Bel Air courthouse.
That page is worth checking before you call or visit, since it breaks out which phone number to use depending on whether you need civil, criminal, land records, or licensing services.
Harford County Circuit Court Clerk Office
The Circuit Court clerk for Harford County is Michelle L. Karczeski. The courthouse is at 20 West Courtland Street, Bel Air, MD 21014. Walk-in hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and phone lines are open during the same hours. The main office number is 410-838-4952, and a toll-free line is available at 1-800-989-8296.
The clerk's office has separate numbers for different functions. For civil and family matters, call the Family and Civil Services Department at 410-638-3430. The Criminal Department is at 410-638-3472. Courtroom Clerks can be reached at 410-638-3040. Land Records is at 410-638-3474. For licensing (marriage licenses, notary commissions, business licenses), call 410-638-3248, 410-638-3586, or 410-638-3489. The Accounting Department is at 410-638-3246. There is also a Ceremonial Room for marriage licenses and civil ceremonies at 24 Office Street, Bel Air, MD 21014, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; civil marriage ceremonies are by appointment, call 410-638-3586.
The courthouse also has a Law Library inside the Circuit Court building. It offers free access to legal research tools and is open to the public during regular courthouse hours.
Harford County Civil Court Records Copy Fees
Copy fees at the Harford County Circuit Court follow the standard Maryland schedule. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 plus $0.50 per page. Exemplification copies (the highest level of authentication, often needed for out-of-state use) are $10.00 plus $0.50 per page. If you need an attorney appearance entered into the record, the fee is $20.00 per firm, or $100.00 for an out-of-state attorney. A dismissal costs $15.00 plus court costs, and post-activity judgment motions or docketing costs $31.00.
For civil filings, the fee to open a new case without an attorney is $165.00. That breaks down as $80 for the filing fee, $55 for the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) fund, and $30 for the Records Improvement Fund. Filing with an attorney costs $185.00. Appeals are $165.00. Preparing an appellate court record is $121.00. Residential foreclosure filings carry an additional $300.00 fee, plus $50.00 for foreclosure mediation (note that personal checks are not accepted for the mediation fee).
Note: Personal checks are not accepted for foreclosure mediation fees at the Harford County Circuit Court.
Requesting Harford County Records by Mail
If you cannot visit in person, you can request Harford County civil court records by mail. Write to the clerk's office at 20 West Courtland Street, Bel Air, MD 21014. Include the full names of the parties involved, the case number if you know it, the approximate filing year, and a description of the specific documents you need. The clerk will contact you with the cost before sending anything. Once you receive the fee quote, send payment and the copies will be mailed to you.
For older civil cases that predate the May 1998 online index, you may also contact the Maryland State Archives at (410) 260-6400. The Archives holds historical court records from across the state. Fees for archived records are $50 for a full case file or $35 for a partial file. For land records, the Maryland Land Records site covers recorded instruments for Harford County going back many years and can be searched at no charge.
What Records Are Not Public in Harford County
Certain types of civil records are not open to the public in Harford County, as with all Maryland courts. Adoption records, juvenile case files, and CINA cases are sealed. Mental health evaluation records, income tax returns filed in court, and financial statements in support cases are also restricted. Records related to certain disabled adult proceedings are not accessible either. Expunged or sealed cases will not appear in Case Search.
Under a 2024 Maryland law, Failure to Pay Rent cases are automatically shielded if no judgment for possession was entered. Those cases may not be visible even if filed in Harford County. If you believe a case was filed but cannot locate it, call the clerk's office to ask whether it may be restricted or sealed. The general number is 410-638-3426.