Glen Burnie Criminal Records Search
Glen Burnie criminal records are maintained by Anne Arundel County courts, the primary system handling all criminal cases for this unincorporated community of about 70,000 people. Glen Burnie has its own District Court branch on Ritchie Highway, which makes local access easier than many unincorporated communities. For felony cases and full court files, you will need to go to the Circuit Court in Annapolis. The state's free online case search tool covers Anne Arundel County records going back to 1989, allowing anyone to look up case status, charges, and dispositions without visiting the courthouse.
Glen Burnie Overview
County Jurisdiction
Glen Burnie is unincorporated, which means it has no separate city government or city court. All criminal records are part of the Anne Arundel County system. The Anne Arundel County Criminal Records page has the full county overview, including court addresses, fee schedules, and public access rules that apply to all Anne Arundel communities including Glen Burnie.
The county seat is Annapolis. The Circuit Court and the county's main records office are there. Glen Burnie itself has a local District Court branch, which handles the most common criminal matters locally and is the starting point for many cases.
Courthouse Locations
Two courts serve Glen Burnie. The District Court in Glen Burnie handles misdemeanors and preliminary hearings locally. The Circuit Court in Annapolis holds felony trials, jury cases, and appeals.
| Court | District Court of Maryland - Glen Burnie |
|---|---|
| Address | 7500 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061 |
| Phone | 410-260-1800 |
| Jurisdiction | Misdemeanors, traffic, preliminary hearings |
| Court | Anne Arundel County Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401 |
| Phone (General) | 410-222-1397 |
| Phone (Criminal) | 410-222-1420 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Payment | Cash, check, or money order only (no credit cards at counter) |
The Circuit Court clerk does not accept credit cards at the front counter. Bring cash, a check, or a money order when visiting in person for copies or to pay search fees.
Online Criminal Records Search
Maryland operates a free statewide case search system covering all 24 jurisdictions. Anne Arundel County records from 1989 forward are included. The portal is at casesearch.courts.state.md.us.
The image below shows the Maryland Judiciary Case Search interface used to look up Glen Burnie criminal records online.
Source: Maryland Judiciary Case Search
Enter the full name for an exact match. For partial searches, add a percent sign to the end of the name (for example, "Brow%" to find Brown, Browning, and similar). This partial-name feature has been standard since December 2021. Results show case numbers, charges, filing dates, and outcomes.
The 2024 rule changes removed acquittals and dismissals from public Case Search results. Cases on stet drop off the public portal after three years. These changes affect what you see online, but the records still exist in the court files.
Note: Older Anne Arundel County records from before 1989 are not in the online system and must be requested directly from the Circuit Court clerk.
Local Law Enforcement Records
The Anne Arundel County Police Department serves Glen Burnie. Because Glen Burnie is unincorporated, there is no separate Glen Burnie police force. All patrol work, arrests, and incident reports come from county officers.
The image below is from the Anne Arundel County Police Department website, the agency that handles arrests and incident reports for Glen Burnie.
Source: Anne Arundel County Police Department
Police records and court records are different. The police hold arrest records and incident reports. The courts hold case files and dispositions. A full picture of any criminal matter usually requires checking both sources.
| Agency | Anne Arundel County Police Department |
|---|---|
| Records Division | 8495 Veterans Highway, Millersville, MD 21108 |
| Phone | 410-222-8750 |
| Online PIA Request | aacounty.org/pia |
| Website | aacounty.org/police-department |
Public Information Act (PIA) requests for police records can be submitted online through the link above. Turnaround times vary by request type and volume.
What Criminal Records Show
Anne Arundel County criminal court records include case numbers, charge descriptions, statute references, pleas, trial outcomes, and sentencing information. Most of this data is public under Maryland Rules governing court access.
What the public can typically see:
- Case number and filing date
- Full charge description and statute cited
- Plea entered
- Disposition (guilty, not guilty, dismissed, stet)
- Sentence if convicted
- Attorney of record and next court date
Sealed records do not show up. Juvenile records are confidential by law. Since 2024, acquittals and dismissals have been removed from what the public sees in Case Search results. The underlying file still exists at the courthouse, but it does not appear in an online name search.
Requesting Criminal Records
You can get Anne Arundel County criminal court records online, in person, or by mail. Online access through Case Search is free. Copies cost money at the courthouse.
Maryland court copy fees apply: $7.00 for a name search, $0.50 per page for copies, $5.00 per document for certified copies. The Circuit Court in Annapolis does not accept credit cards at the counter. Bring cash, a check, or a money order.
For mail requests, write to the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Clerk, 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401. State the full name of the person you are searching, include a date of birth if known, and attach payment for the search fee. The clerk will mail back what it finds.
In-person visits work best for recent cases. Archived older files may take more time to pull. Plan your visit for early in the day to allow enough time if the file needs to be retrieved from storage.
CJIS Background Checks
For a full Maryland state criminal history check, the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) runs the official database. A CJIS check covers statewide criminal history and goes further than a court case search.
State checks cost $18. FBI checks (which add federal records) run $38 to $45. Contact CJIS at 410-764-4501 or toll-free at 1-888-795-0011. You can also reach them by email at cjis.customerservice@maryland.gov. Full instructions and current forms are on the CJIS background checks page.
Expungement and Shielding
Maryland allows eligible people to expunge or shield criminal records. Expungement clears the record from public access. Shielding keeps the record but restricts who can see it. The rules differ depending on charge type and case outcome.
Expungement costs $30 to file. Acquittals can be expunged for free. Shielding applies to certain misdemeanor convictions after a waiting period. Petitions are filed at the court where the original case was heard. For most Glen Burnie cases, that is either the Glen Burnie District Court or the Anne Arundel Circuit Court in Annapolis.
The Maryland State Archives criminal records guide has a breakdown of which cases qualify and what forms to use.