Scheduling

Hearings are not always scheduled automatically, regardless of whether the litigant is represented.

Required Mediation

If the case involves a dispute over child custody or visitation, the parties must attend two sessions of mediation.

Settlement Conferences

Settlement conferences are held in pro se cases and when parties are represented.

Length of Time to Get a Hearing

The length of time required to get a hearing varies on the business of the docket.

Emergency Hearings – Pro Se Litigants

A pro se litigant should submit a request in writing to the clerk’s office. In the opinion of courthouse personnel, it is more likely that they will be able to have a hearing the same day they file if they have assistance from an attorney.

Who Will Hear The Case

Uncontested cases, as well as cases expected to take two hours or less, are heard by the Standing Examiner.

Source: A joint project of the Women’s Law Center and MLAN, along with interviews conducted with Family Law Court Coordinators, court clerks and local advocates practicing in this county. Updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).

Date of Last Review: 10/3/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)

Is this legal advice? This site offers legal information, not legal advice. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and to clearly explain your options. However we do not provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual circumstances. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney. See our section on Finding Legal Help.

About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders. In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

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