Find Criminal Records in Frederick

Frederick criminal records are maintained by the Frederick County Circuit Court and District Court, both located in downtown Frederick at 100 W. Patrick Street. Frederick serves as the county seat, which means the courthouse is right in the city. You can search Frederick criminal cases free online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search, request copies in person at the courthouse, or use the Frederick Records portal for additional access. Background checks for official purposes run through the CJIS system in Pikesville.

Frederick County Courts Handle City Records

Frederick is the county seat of Frederick County. The Circuit Court and District Court both sit within the city itself, at the same address on W. Patrick Street. This is convenient for anyone who needs to visit in person. Since Frederick is an incorporated municipality, it has its own city police department. But criminal cases from the city still go through the Frederick County court system, not a separate city court.

Cases from Frederick City and cases from the surrounding county are all filed together in the same court. When you search by name in the online Case Search, results from across Frederick County will appear, including cases from Frederick City and from the many smaller towns and unincorporated areas in the county. The address on file for each case usually makes clear where the incident occurred.

Courthouse and Clerk Information

The courthouse in Frederick is centrally located and easy to reach. The Circuit Court and District Court are in the same building, so you can handle both in one visit if needed.

The Circuit Court handles felony cases, jury trials, and appeals from the District Court. The District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic violations, and small claims. Copies of court records cost $0.50 per page for plain copies. Certified copies run $5.00. You can also request records by mail if you prefer not to visit in person. Include the case number, the defendant name, and your contact information with any mail request.

Additional information about the Circuit Court is posted at the Frederick County Circuit Court general information page. That page covers court procedures, filing requirements, and contact details for the clerk's office.

Online Criminal Records Search

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search includes Frederick County records going back to March 2000. The system is free to use. No account is needed. You can search by name, case number, or attorney name.

Since December 2021, name searches default to exact match. Use a percent sign as a wildcard if you need partial name matching. For example, "Fred%" will return all names starting with "Fred." The search results show charges, court dates, and the final outcome once the case closes. For active cases, the next scheduled hearing date appears.

The Frederick Records portal provides an additional way to access criminal case information for Frederick County. This resource can be useful if you want a different interface or if you need help interpreting what the Case Search returns.

Keep in mind the 2024 update to public record rules. Dismissed cases and acquittals no longer show in the public Case Search. Stet dispositions are hidden after three years. If you believe a case exists but cannot find it, the courthouse clerk can confirm whether it is in the system.

Frederick Police Department

The Frederick Police Department serves the incorporated city of Frederick. It is a municipal department separate from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, which covers unincorporated parts of the county. The police department is also located at 100 W. Patrick Street, sharing the same general block as the courts.

If you need a copy of an incident report from something that happened within Frederick City limits, contact the Frederick Police Department records unit. You will need to provide the report number or the date and address of the incident. Most non-investigative reports can be released to involved parties or their legal representatives. Reports that are part of active investigations may be withheld until the case closes.

For incidents in the rural or unincorporated parts of Frederick County, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office handles those calls. The two agencies do not overlap. Frederick City has its own jurisdiction and its own records. Be clear about where the incident happened before you contact either office.

What Frederick Criminal Records Contain

Criminal records from Frederick County courts cover cases from the city and the surrounding county. Circuit Court records include felony charges such as robbery, assault, drug offenses, firearms violations, and more serious crimes. District Court records cover the misdemeanor range: petty theft, simple assault, disorderly conduct, traffic violations, and violations of protective orders.

Each court record includes the defendant's name and date of birth, the charges filed, the case number, and the disposition. Hearing dates appear as the case moves through the system. After the case resolves, the final outcome shows: guilty plea, trial verdict, probation before judgment, or dismissal. The public record does not include police reports or investigative materials. Those exist as separate agency records and require a Public Information Act request to obtain.

Frederick County also has a notable historical record collection. Criminal dockets going back to 1900 are held at the Maryland State Archives. These older records are not in the online system but can be accessed through the Archives for a $25 research fee.

CJIS Background Checks

Official background checks for Frederick residents run through the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). A state check costs $18. Adding an FBI check brings the total to $38-$45. Fingerprinting is required in both cases.

Contact CJIS at 410-764-4501 or 1-888-795-0011. Email cjis.customerservice@maryland.gov for written inquiries. Mail requests to PO Box 32708, Pikesville, MD 21282-2708. The CJIS database pulls from all 24 Maryland jurisdictions. A check run for a Frederick resident will include any cases from other parts of Maryland as well.

Expungement in Frederick

Expungement petitions for Frederick cases are filed with the Circuit Court or District Court, depending on where the original case was heard. The standard filing fee is $30. Acquittals and certain dismissals may qualify for free expungement. Maryland law also allows shielding for certain conviction types, which limits who can access a record rather than fully removing it.

Waiting periods apply before most petitions can be filed. The length of the wait depends on the type of case and how it was resolved. If you are a Frederick resident with an older conviction, it is worth checking current eligibility rules. The law has changed in recent years and some charges that previously did not qualify may now be eligible for relief.

Historical Criminal Records

The Maryland State Archives holds Frederick County criminal records going back over a century. Dockets from 1900 onward are part of the Archives collection. A $25 research fee applies. Submit requests online or by mail to the Archives office in Annapolis. These older records are especially useful for genealogical research or for tracing long-term case histories that predate the online Case Search system.

The Frederick County Circuit Court information page, shown below from courts.state.md.us, lists the clerk's contact details and general procedures for obtaining court records in Frederick.

The clerk's office page covers fee schedules, hours, and how to request both plain and certified copies of Frederick criminal court records.

The Frederick Records portal below, sourced from frederickrecords.us, offers an additional interface for searching criminal case data in Frederick County.

The portal supplements the official Judiciary Case Search and may help if you need assistance interpreting results or searching by different criteria.

Nearby Cities

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