Prince George's County Civil Court Records
Prince George's County civil court records are public documents maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro and are available to search online or in person. Whether you need records for a civil lawsuit, a judgment, a contract dispute, or a family case, this guide walks you through how to find and get copies of the records you need from the county courthouse and through Maryland's statewide case search system.
Prince George's County Overview
Searching Prince George's County Civil Court Records
The fastest way to search Prince George's County civil court records is through Maryland Judiciary Case Search, the statewide portal that covers all 24 Maryland jurisdictions including Prince George's. The system is free to use and updated nightly. You can search by party name or case number. By default, the system requires an exact name match. If you're not sure of the exact spelling, add a percent sign (%) at the end of the last name to run a partial match search.
Prince George's County civil records in the online system go back to July 1, 1986, one of the longer records histories among Maryland counties. That means you can find civil cases, judgments, contract disputes, and civil tort filings stretching back nearly four decades. Case Search returns summary information: case type, filing date, parties, and disposition. It does not give you the full documents. For the actual filings, pleadings, and orders, you need to contact the clerk's office or visit in person.
A new Maryland Judiciary records portal launched on March 14, 2026, updating the interface for case lookups. The core search function works the same way. If you run a search and get no results, double-check the name spelling and try the partial match option before assuming no record exists.
Note: Case Search shows summaries only. Visit the clerk's office or submit a written request to obtain actual court documents and filings.
The Maryland Courts records page provides general guidance on accessing civil and criminal records across the state, including information about what is and is not public. Prince George's County follows all statewide rules about which records are open and which are restricted.
That page is a good starting point if you are new to searching Maryland court records and want to understand the broader system before diving into Prince George's County specifics.
Prince George's County Circuit Court: Location and Contact
The Circuit Court for Prince George's County is located at 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The main clerk's line is 301-952-3318. There is also a toll-free number at 1-800-937-1335 for callers outside the local area. The clerk of the circuit court is Mahasin El Amin.
Prince George's County also has two District Court locations. The Upper Marlboro District Court is at 14735 Main Street (the same address as the Circuit Court) and can be reached at 301-298-4000. The Hyattsville District Court is at 4990 Rhode Island Avenue and can be reached at 301-298-4200. District Court handles smaller civil claims and landlord-tenant cases, while the Circuit Court handles larger civil matters and family cases. If you are not sure which court has the records you need, the clerk's office can help you figure out where to look.
You can also find court directory information on the Prince George's County clerk page on the Maryland Courts website.
Note: Personal checks are not accepted at most Maryland courts. Bring cash, money order, or a credit or debit card when visiting in person.
How to Get Copies of Civil Court Records in Prince George's County
There are two main ways to get copies of civil court records from Prince George's County: in person at the clerk's office, or by written request submitted by mail.
If you visit in person, go to the clerk's office at 14735 Main Street in Upper Marlboro during regular business hours. You will need to complete a request form and provide either the case number or the full names of the parties. The copy fee is $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus the per-page copy fee. Exemplification copies, which carry a higher level of authentication, cost $10.00 plus copy fees. Pay when you pick up the copies. Certified copies are often needed for use in other legal proceedings or to present to agencies outside Maryland.
Written requests can also be submitted by mail. Send your request to the circuit court clerk's office and include the case number or party names, the specific documents you need, your contact information, a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of documents, and your payment. Checks should be made out to the Circuit Court Clerk. Processing times for mailed requests vary, so give it at least a week or two before following up.
For criminal history checks needed for immigration purposes, you must appear in person with a government-issued photo ID. The fee is $20.00, with an additional $1.50 service charge if paying by credit card. Criminal records in the Prince George's system go back to 1982.
What Civil Court Records Are and Are Not Public
Most civil court records in Prince George's County are public. That includes civil judgments, tort cases, contract disputes, and most family cases such as divorce filings. Case types you will see in Prince George's civil records include DA (Divorce Absolute), DL (Divorce Limited), CJ (Civil Judgment), CT (Civil Tort), and CC (Civil Contract).
Some records are sealed and not available to the public. In Prince George's County, sealed records include all juvenile and adoption proceedings, and any records that a judge has ordered sealed for good cause. If you believe a sealed record should be opened, you can file a written request with the court stating the reasons why. A judge will review the request and decide whether to grant access. This process applies to records sealed for reasons other than juvenile or adoption protections, which are generally not subject to being unsealed.
Statewide, certain records are never public regardless of county. These include mental health evaluations, income tax returns used in support cases, financial statements in support proceedings, reports about disabled adults, and any records that have been expunged or sealed by court order. Starting in 2024, Failure to Pay Rent cases in Maryland are automatically shielded from public view if no judgment for possession was entered.
The Prince George's County Sheriff's Office maintains an Active Warrants Database online. The Sheriff's Office is located at 5303 Chrysler Way, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. You can reach them at (301) 780-8600 or by email at SherifInfo@co.pg.md.us.
For older records not available through Case Search, the Maryland State Archives at (410) 260-6400 may have historical civil court documents. Land records for Prince George's County are available through MDLandRec.net.