Montgomery County Civil Court Records
Montgomery County civil court records are held by the Circuit Court in Rockville, at 50 Maryland Avenue. This is one of the largest courts in Maryland, and it handles a high volume of civil filings each year. If you need to look up a case, get copies of court documents, or find out how to file a civil action, the Rockville clerk's office is your starting point. Montgomery County's civil records online go back to January 1, 1978, the earliest start date in the state, which means the Case Search portal covers a much longer span of history here than in most other Maryland counties.
Montgomery County Overview
Searching Montgomery County Civil Court Records
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal is the main free tool for Montgomery County civil court records. This statewide database is updated nightly and lets you search by party name, case number, or attorney. For Montgomery County, the civil record index starts January 1, 1978, which is the earliest start date of any county in Maryland. That means you can find civil cases here that go back nearly five decades in the online system, which is not the case elsewhere.
The portal defaults to exact name matching. If the name you are searching could have spelling variations, add a percent sign (%) at the end of the last name to run a partial match. This is particularly useful in a high-volume court like Montgomery County where similar names are more likely to appear. Case Search shows case summaries and docket entries. It does not show full document images. Attorneys are automatically granted remote access to cases they are involved in through Case Search. Other parties to a case may request remote access via the Maryland Courts E-filing system (MDEC).
Maryland rolled out an updated court portal on March 14, 2026. The look may differ from what you have used before, but the core search functions remain the same.
The Montgomery County Circuit Court website provides a full overview of clerk departments, copy request procedures, and courthouse services in Rockville.
The clerk's site also has a downloadable Copy Request Form and instructions for each method of requesting records, which is worth reviewing before you submit a request.
For a full directory of Montgomery County court contacts and locations, the Maryland Courts Directory page for Montgomery County lists addresses for all courts serving the county.
That directory page is useful if you are not sure which court handles a particular type of case in Montgomery County, since both the Circuit Court and two District Court locations operate in the county.
Montgomery County Circuit Court Clerk
The Circuit Court clerk for Montgomery County is Karen A. Bushell. The main clerk's office is at 50 Maryland Avenue, North Tower, 3rd Floor, Room 3200, Rockville, MD 20850. The direct phone number is 240-777-9467, and a general information line is available at 240-777-9400. A toll-free number is also offered at 888-287-0593. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The clerk's office has separate departments for Civil, Criminal, Family, Finance, Juvenile, Land Records, License, and Courtroom Clerks functions.
The Montgomery County courthouse has three public kiosks where you can view scanned court documents. The Central Files kiosk is in the North Tower, 1st Floor, Room 1100. The Criminal Department kiosk is in the North Tower, 1st Floor, Room 1260. A third kiosk is in the Circuit Court Public Law Library in the North Tower, 3rd Floor, Room 3420. The Law Library closes at 4:00 p.m., which is earlier than the rest of the courthouse, so plan accordingly if you need access to that kiosk late in the day. Federal and recorded tax liens are filed with Land Records, located in the North Tower, 2nd Floor, Room 2120. Juvenile copies must be requested through the Juvenile Department at 240-777-9530; that department operates separately from the main clerk's office.
How to Request Copies of Montgomery County Civil Court Records
Montgomery County offers four ways to request civil court record copies. First, you can submit a Copy Request Form online through the clerk's website. Second, you can print the form and mail it to Central Files at 50 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850; do not include payment with a mailed request unless the office has already quoted you a cost. Third, a 24-hour drop box is located outside the courthouse at 50 Maryland Avenue. Place your request in an envelope marked "Central Files" and drop it any time. Fourth, you can visit in person during regular courthouse hours.
Standard copy fees are $0.50 per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost $0.50 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee. Triple-seal (exemplification) copies are $10.00 plus $0.50 per page. When your copies are ready, a staff member will contact you and quote the total cost. Payment is due before you receive the copies. If you need copies sent by expedited mail, include a pre-addressed, pre-paid FedEx or priority mail envelope with your request. The clerk's office also offers a ShareFile option to receive non-certified copies electronically; check the appropriate box on the Copy Request Form when submitting your request. Note that case files cannot leave the courthouse under any circumstances.
Note: Do not include payment with a mailed copy request to Montgomery County; wait until the clerk contacts you with the quoted cost.
Montgomery County District Courts and Other Access Points
Montgomery County has two District Court locations in addition to the Circuit Court. The Rockville District Court is at 27 Courthouse Square, Rockville. The Silver Spring District Court is at 8665 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring. District Court cases, including small claims and other lower-level civil matters, are also searchable through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal along with Circuit Court cases.
For records involving civil cases that are not in the online system, the Maryland State Archives may hold older files. Call (410) 260-6400 or search the Archives catalog online. The fee for a full archived case is $50 or $35 for a partial set of documents. Montgomery County land records, including deeds and mortgages, can be searched at no cost through Maryland Land Records online. For general guidance on accessing court records in Maryland, the Maryland Courts records help page is a good reference. The Maryland Courts records overview also explains what is and is not public across the state court system.
What Is Not Public in Montgomery County Civil Records
Several categories of civil records are not open to the public in Montgomery County. Adoption records are sealed. Juvenile case files and CINA proceedings are restricted. Mental health evaluations, income tax returns submitted in court, financial statements in support cases, and certain disabled adult records are all protected from public disclosure. Expunged and sealed cases do not appear in Case Search at all.
Under the 2024 Maryland law on Failure to Pay Rent cases, records where no judgment for possession was entered are automatically shielded. Those will not show in search results even if filed at the Montgomery County courthouse. If you believe a case exists but cannot locate it, the clerk's office can confirm whether it is restricted. Call 240-777-9467 or 240-777-9400 for assistance. In 2023, the Montgomery County Circuit Court issued 5,425 marriage licenses, swore in 2,385 notary publics, and issued 9,028 business licenses, giving a sense of the overall volume this large clerk's office processes each year.