Find Anne Arundel County Criminal Records

Anne Arundel County criminal records date back to 1989 online, making this one of the earliest jurisdictions covered by the Maryland Judiciary Case Search system. The Circuit Court in Annapolis maintains all felony case files and serious misdemeanor records for the county, and this guide explains how to search Anne Arundel criminal records online, request copies in person or by mail, and obtain police reports from county law enforcement.

Anne Arundel Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County is at 8 Church Circle in Annapolis. The mailing address is P.O. Box 71, Annapolis, MD 21404. You can call the general line at 410-222-1397 or reach the Criminal Department directly at 410-222-1420. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

To view records in person, go to 8 Church Circle, bring photo ID, and provide the defendant's name, case number, or date of birth. The clerk can pull the file for you to review at the public terminal. Payment at the counter is cash, check, or money order only. No credit cards are accepted. For mail requests, send your letter to: Clerk of the Circuit Court, 8 Church Circle, P.O. Box 71, Annapolis, MD 21404. Include the defendant's full name, date of birth, case number if available, what documents you need, and your return address with payment.

One thing to know before calling: the Criminal Department does not perform criminal record checks. If you need a formal background check, you have to go through CJIS at 1-888-795-0011. The CJIS fee for a full Anne Arundel County criminal check is $38.00, which is higher than the standard $18.00 state fee, so keep that in mind when planning your request.

Anne Arundel criminal case files use the number format 02-C-YY-######. Having this on hand before you search online or contact the clerk will speed things up considerably.

What Anne Arundel Criminal Records Show

A criminal case file from Anne Arundel County will typically include the case number and title, the filing date and current case status, party names and addresses, charge details with CJIS codes and statute references, a full history of court events, the disposition and sentencing information, the attorney of record, and bond information. Certified copies carry the court seal and clerk certification, making them suitable for legal proceedings. Standard copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 each.

Not everything ends up in a public case file. Charges that were dismissed, acquitted, or entered as nolle prosequi were removed from public view under 2024 statewide rule changes. Stet charges drop off after three years. Cannabis possession cases are no longer in the public database. What remains visible includes convictions, pending cases, and certain pending or active matters that have not been shielded or expunged.

The Maryland courts access to records page explains which documents are public, which require a court order, and how to request sealed or restricted files if you have standing to do so.

This portal provides a direct path to Anne Arundel criminal case searches and related record request tools.

Search Anne Arundel Criminal Cases Online

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers Anne Arundel County records going back to 1989, which is one of the longest online histories in the state. You can search by name, case number, or date at no cost. The system is free and does not require a login.

Since December 2021, the default is exact name matching. Use a percent sign (%) as a wildcard if you are unsure of the exact spelling or want to cast a wider net. Typing "Jone%" will return results for Jones, Joneson, and similar names. This matters because a single character difference can cause you to miss a record entirely if you rely only on exact matching.

Anne Arundel County District Court

Anne Arundel County has two District Court locations. The Annapolis District Court is at 251 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone 410-260-1370. The Glen Burnie District Court handles cases in the northern part of the county and is at 7500 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061, phone 410-260-1800.

District Court handles misdemeanors, minor offenses, and preliminary hearings for felonies. If a case moves to jury trial, it transfers to the Circuit Court. Both District Court locations feed into Maryland Judiciary Case Search, so criminal case records from either location are searchable online the same way Circuit Court cases are.

Anne Arundel Police Department Records

The Anne Arundel County Police Department maintains arrest records and incident reports separately from court files. The Records Division is at 8495 Veterans Highway, Millersville, MD 21108. You can call 410-222-8610 for the Records line or 410-222-8750 for the main number. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

To request a police report, submit a Public Information Act (PIA) request. You can do this online at the county PIA portal or by mail to the Records Division address above. Include the police case or incident number, the date and location of the incident, the incident type, the names of involved persons, and your own ID information. The department will provide a fee estimate before processing, and payment is required before they release the documents.

The Anne Arundel County Sheriff is at 8A Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone 410-222-1571. The Sheriff's office handles jail records and may be the right contact depending on what you are looking for. The county also offers a free inmate lookup tool on the county website, searchable by last name and first initial.

For online crime reporting and information about recent cases in the county, visit the county police crime reporting page.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department Records Division processes PIA requests for arrest records and incident reports from the county.

CJIS Criminal Background Checks

The Maryland Criminal Justice Information System runs the state's official criminal background check program. For Anne Arundel County, the CJIS fee for a full criminal history check is $38.00. This is higher than the standard $18.00 state rate and reflects the scope of the search. Contact CJIS at 410-764-4501 or 1-888-795-0011, or by email at cjis.customerservice@maryland.gov. You can also write to PO Box 32708, Pikesville, MD 21282-2708.

CJIS results are more complete than what you see on Case Search. They can include records that have been removed from public online search but are still part of a person's criminal history. For official or legal purposes, CJIS is the right channel.

Expungement in Anne Arundel County

Expungement petitions are filed with the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County. The filing fee is $30.00. If the charge was resolved by acquittal or other favorable outcome, the filing is free. Maryland also offers a shielding process, which limits who can access a record rather than erasing it. Both options are worth discussing with an attorney if you are unsure which applies.

Processing times vary. Once filed, the state's attorney has time to respond, and the court reviews the petition before granting or denying it. There is no guaranteed timeline, but routine cases are typically resolved within a few months.

Cities in Anne Arundel County

Two qualifying cities in Anne Arundel County have their own criminal records pages. Glen Burnie is in the northern part of the county, served by the Glen Burnie District Court. Severn is a large unincorporated community in the central part of the county.

View the Anne Arundel County online crime reporting tool for additional information about incident data across these communities.

The online crime reporting system covers incidents across all Anne Arundel communities, including Glen Burnie and Severn.

Nearby Counties

Anne Arundel County borders several other Maryland jurisdictions. Use the links below to access criminal records information for neighboring counties.