Allegany County Criminal Records

Allegany County criminal records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Cumberland and are accessible through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search for cases filed since September 7, 1999. Whether you need case files, disposition information, or certified court documents, this guide covers how to search Allegany County criminal records online, by mail, or in person at the courthouse.

Allegany County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Circuit Court for Allegany County handles felony criminal cases, serious misdemeanors, and appeals from the District Court. The Clerk's office is located at 30 Washington Street in Cumberland and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can reach the main line at 301-777-5922, or contact the Criminal Department directly at extension 2266.

To get criminal case records in person, visit the courthouse and ask the clerk to pull records by defendant name, case number, or date of birth. Bring photo ID. For mail requests, address your request to: Clerk of the Circuit Court, Attn: Criminal Department, 30 Washington Street, Cumberland, MD 21502. Include the defendant's full name, date of birth, the approximate offense date, the case number if you have it, which specific documents you need, your return address, and payment. Without all of this, the clerk may not be able to locate the file.

There is one policy worth knowing before you call. The Criminal Department cannot disclose dispositions over the phone. You must request that information in writing or show up in person. Also, the clerk's office does not perform criminal background checks. For a full background check, you need to contact the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS), not the courthouse.

The clerk provides access to the following types of Allegany County criminal case documents:

• Charging documents, including informations and indictments
• All docket entries and case events
• Plea agreements
• Judgment and commitment orders
• Sentencing documents
• Probation violation filings
• Appeal notices

The court uses case number format 01-K-YY-###### for criminal matters. If you know the case number, searches go much faster both online and at the counter.

The Allegany County Clerk's office page lists additional contact details and services available to the public. Reviewing it before your visit can save time.

The clerk's website also includes information on how to submit mail requests and what to expect for processing times.

Search Allegany Criminal Records Online

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the free statewide tool for looking up criminal case files. It covers all 24 Maryland jurisdictions, including Allegany County, and goes back to September 7, 1999, for this county. You can search by name, case number, or date. The system is free to use and available around the clock.

Since December 2021, the system defaults to exact name matching. If you are not sure of the exact spelling, use the percent sign as a wildcard. For example, typing "Smi%" will pull up names starting with those three letters. This can help when you are not certain of a middle name or have an alternate spelling.

Keep in mind what Case Search does and does not show. As of 2024, dismissed charges, acquittals, and nolle prosequi outcomes are no longer visible to the public. Stet charges disappear after three years. Cannabis possession cases have been removed. What you will find are active cases, convictions, pending matters, and case history for charges that remain public under current law.

What Allegany County Criminal Records Contain

A criminal case file in Allegany County typically holds the charging document, a full docket of every court event, attorney information, bond details, and the final disposition. If the case went to sentencing, you will find the judgment and commitment order along with any probation terms. If there was an appeal, the notice of appeal is in the file too.

Certified copies of case documents carry the court seal and a clerk certification. These are the versions you need for legal purposes, like presenting proof of a prior record or providing documentation for an out-of-state matter. Copies cost $0.50 per page, and certified copies are $5.00 each. Audio recordings of hearings held after July 31, 2014, can be requested on CD for $25.00 per hearing. If you need a written transcript, the court uses the eScribers online portal for that service.

For a broader view of what Maryland court records include and how access works across the state, the judiciary's legal help page is a solid reference.

The Allegany County criminal records page outlines what the clerk can provide and how to make formal requests for case documents.

District Court Criminal Cases in Allegany County

The District Court for Allegany County sits at 3 Pershing Street in Cumberland and can be reached at 301-723-3100. District Court handles misdemeanors, minor traffic offenses, and preliminary hearings for felonies. Cases that start in District Court and go to jury trial get transferred to the Circuit Court, where the full case file is then maintained.

District Court criminal records are also searchable through Maryland Judiciary Case Search. The same search tools and rules apply. If you are looking for a misdemeanor that was resolved in District Court and never transferred, you will find it there under the District Court case number rather than a Circuit Court number.

Law Enforcement Records in Allegany County

Criminal court records and law enforcement records are two different things. The clerk holds court files. Arrest records and incident reports stay with the agency that created them.

The Allegany County Sheriff's Office is located at 30 Washington Street, Cumberland, MD 21502, phone 301-777-1585. To get a copy of an incident or arrest report, submit a Public Information Act (PIA) request to the Sheriff's office. There is no standardized statewide form for this; you write a letter or use whatever request process the agency provides, identify what you need, and wait for their response.

The Cumberland Police Department handles city incidents. They are at 20 Bedford Street, Cumberland, MD 21502, phone 301-777-1600. Submit a separate PIA request there for any reports involving Cumberland city limits. Response times can vary, but the agency is required to acknowledge your request and respond within a set period under state law.

Criminal Record Background Checks

The Maryland Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) handles official criminal background checks for Allegany County and the rest of the state. They are separate from the courts entirely. You reach them at 410-764-4501 or toll-free at 1-888-795-0011, or by email at cjis.customerservice@maryland.gov. Their mailing address is PO Box 32708, Pikesville, MD 21282-2708.

The state check costs $18.00. This covers a search of Maryland criminal history records and gives you a more complete picture than Case Search alone. CJIS can access records that predate what is publicly searchable online and can provide a formal response document suitable for official use. The clerk's office in Allegany County will refer you here if you call asking for a background check, so it helps to know this upfront.

Search Fees and Copy Costs

Maryland Judiciary Case Search is free. You pay nothing to search online. Fees apply when you request physical copies from the clerk's office.

Standard copy fees at the Allegany County Circuit Court are $0.50 per page for regular copies. Certified copies cost $5.00 each. If you need a certified copy with exemplification, the fee is higher. Audio CDs of hearings recorded after July 31, 2014, are $25.00 per CD per hearing. For name searches, the standard Maryland fee is $7.00 if processed through official channels. Bond posting at the courthouse requires cash for cash bonds, and property bonds require ID, a tax assessment notice, the deed, and any mortgage documents.

Expungement of Allegany County Criminal Records

If you have a criminal record in Allegany County that you want removed, expungement is the legal process for doing that. The filing fee is $30.00, but if you were acquitted or the case was otherwise resolved in your favor, the filing is free. Shielding is a related option that does not erase the record but restricts who can see it. Both processes are handled through the Circuit Court for Allegany County.

Allegany County also has a Drug Court program. The coordinator is Pete Washington, reachable at 240-362-6652. Drug Court operates out of the Circuit Court building. Successful completion of Drug Court can affect what appears on a criminal record, which is worth discussing with an attorney if that applies to your situation.

Historical Allegany County Criminal Records

Case Search covers Allegany County records back to September 7, 1999. For anything before that date, you have two options. The clerk's office has an internal imaging system called Papervision that contains criminal dockets from 1949 through 1998, but it is not publicly accessible online. You would need to visit the courthouse or write in to request those older records.

For records that predate even that system, the Maryland State Archives is the right place to look. They hold historical court records for all counties. You can reach the Archives at 410-260-6487 or by email at msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov. A basic search costs $25.00. Their criminal records guide online lists what they hold and how to request it.

Nearby Maryland Counties

Allegany County borders two other Maryland counties. If you need records from a neighboring jurisdiction, use the links below.