Family Law– Garrett– Hearings

 

Filing Requirements          Orders

 

Scheduling     Settlement Conferences     Length of Wait Before Hearing

Emergency Hearings     Who Will Hear the Case

 

Hearings

Scheduling

Hearings are scheduled automatically by the scheduling clerk after receiving the affidavit of service and the answer. 

                                                                                                

Settlement Conferences

Settlement conferences are generally held in non-family civil cases. Domestic cases are more frequently sent to mediation rather than a settlement conference.

 

Length of Time to Get a Hearing

Varies on the complexity of the case and the business of the docket.

 

Emergency Hearings – Pro Se Litigants

A pro se litigant who desires an emergency hearing should go to the courthouse and fill out the form for an emergency hearing. If a judge is free, it is possible to get a hearing the same day the request is filed.

 

Who Will Hear The Case

Standing masters can hear all civil domestic cases. They will get the case first and make a recommendation to the judge, who will sign the actual order. If one of the parties files an exception to this, the judge will hear it.

 

 

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.)