Baltimore Felony Records

Baltimore felony records are filed at the Baltimore City Circuit Court and are open to the public under Maryland law. Baltimore is an independent city, not part of any county, and handles its own court system, law enforcement, and public records. This page covers how to find felony case records, police reports, and other criminal records for Baltimore City. The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the main tool for looking up cases online at no cost. You can also request reports directly from the Baltimore Police Department or visit the courthouse in person.

Baltimore Felony Records Overview

Baltimore is one of a handful of independent cities in the United States. It does not belong to any Maryland county. That means all felony cases filed in Baltimore go through the Baltimore City Circuit Court, not a county court. The Circuit Court handles serious criminal charges including robbery, assault in the first degree, murder, drug trafficking, and other felonies under Maryland law.

The Baltimore City District Court handles misdemeanors and lower-level charges, but felonies are heard at the Circuit Court level. Both courts feed into the statewide Maryland Judiciary Case Search database, so you can look up records from either court through the same portal. Records become available online shortly after filing, though some restricted or juvenile records are not shown.

Baltimore City also maintains its own State's Attorney office at 120 E. Baltimore Street, 10th Floor, reachable at (410) 576-6350. The State's Attorney decides whether to prosecute felony charges brought by the Baltimore Police Department or other agencies.

How to Search Baltimore Felony Records

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is free and open to anyone. It was redesigned in February 2024 with an updated interface. You can search by name, case number, or attorney. Results cap at 500 per query, so narrow your search if you get too many hits.

To find Baltimore City felony cases, set the court location filter to "Baltimore City Circuit Court" or search statewide and filter results. Each case record shows the charges filed, hearing dates, disposition, and sentencing information if the case is closed. Active cases show upcoming hearing dates.

Case Search does not include records that are expunged, shielded, or sealed by court order. Juvenile records are also not public. If a record you expect to find is not showing up, it may have been removed from public view or the case may be under a different spelling. Try alternate spellings or partial name searches.

For cases not accessible online, you can go to the Circuit Court clerk's office in person at 110 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore MD 21202. The clerk can pull physical case files for review. Copies cost $0.50 per page.

Baltimore Police Department Records

The Baltimore Police Department handles law enforcement for the city. Its Community Correspondence Unit (CCU) processes records requests for police reports, incident reports, and related documents. The CCU is at 242 W. 29th Street, Baltimore MD 21211. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You can call them at (410) 396-2222.

For accident reports from 2011 to the present, Baltimore uses the LexisNexis online portal at policereports.lexisnexis.com. You can search by report number or by name and date. This is often the fastest way to get an accident report without visiting in person. Accident reports from before 2011 require an email request to ccu@baltimorepolice.org.

The fee for incident reports is $10.00 per report. Make checks or money orders payable to "Director of Finance, Baltimore City." You can submit requests by email to ccu@baltimorepolice.org or by mail to: Baltimore Police Department, Attention Community Correspondence Unit, 242 W. 29th Street, Baltimore MD 21211. Processing time can be up to 30 days under the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA).

For MPIA requests that go beyond standard report forms, contact the Department's MPIA office at dcu@baltimorepolice.org. The MPIA page on the department's website at baltimorepolice.org has form templates and instructions for formal public records requests.

The Baltimore Police Department's main website at baltimorepolice.org/obtain-police-report has detailed instructions for different report types. Not all reports are available online. Some require in-person pickup or formal written requests depending on the nature of the incident.

The Baltimore City Sheriff's Office is located at 111 N. Calvert Street, Room 124, and can be reached at (410) 333-3797. The Sheriff serves civil process and warrants for the Circuit Court.

The Baltimore Police Department's online report portal makes it easier to access records without visiting in person. The screenshot below shows the report request page at the department's official site.

This page lists the available request options, including incident reports, accident reports, and MPIA submissions. Use the instructions shown to select the right form for your request type.

For accident reports dated 2011 or later, the LexisNexis portal shown below allows online searches by name or report number.

The portal at policereports.lexisnexis.com gives instant access to available accident reports and is the fastest route for that report type.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Records

The Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse is the home of the Baltimore City Circuit Court. It sits at 110 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore MD 21202. The clerk's office can be reached at (410) 333-3733. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

All felony cases in Baltimore are filed here. The Circuit Court also handles major civil cases, family law, and appeals from the District Court. For criminal cases, the clerk keeps the full case file including charging documents, motions, orders, and transcripts. You can view files in person or order copies for $0.50 per page.

Electronic filing (MDEC) is available for many case types through the MDEC portal at mdecportal.courts.state.md.us. Attorneys and self-represented parties can file documents and check case status through this system. Not all case types are available for MDEC filing yet.

The Baltimore City District Court at 5800 Wabash Avenue, Baltimore MD 21215 handles misdemeanor and traffic cases. You can reach that court at (410) 878-8000. District Court records are also searchable through the statewide Case Search portal.

What Baltimore Felony Records Include

A felony case record in Baltimore City contains several key pieces of information. You can see the defendant's full name, date of birth, and case number. The record shows every charge filed, the statute number, and the charge class (A, B, C, or D felony).

You also get the full court history for the case. This includes arraignment dates, motions hearings, trial dates, and sentencing. If the case was resolved by plea, the record shows the plea date and the agreed-upon sentence. If it went to trial, it shows the verdict and any post-trial motions.

For closed cases, the disposition is listed. Dispositions include guilty, not guilty, nolle prosequi (charges dropped), stet (case put on hold), or dismissed. Each disposition has a different meaning for the person's record. A stet can be reactivated within one year if the State's Attorney chooses.

Bond information, attorney names, and judge assignments are also part of the public record. Some financial data, like unpaid fines or restitution orders, may appear as well.

Maryland Public Information Act in Baltimore

Maryland's Public Information Act (MPIA) gives people the right to ask for government records. The law covers Baltimore City agencies the same as any state or county agency. You can request records from the police department, the city government, or any other public body.

The Baltimore City government website at baltimorecity.gov has information on how to reach individual city agencies for records requests. Each agency handles its own MPIA requests. Response time is generally 10 working days, with up to 30 days if the agency needs more time to gather records.

Agencies can charge for the cost of copying records. The first two hours of staff time to locate records are free. After that, agencies can bill at a reasonable rate. Courts are covered under different rules -- court records are governed by Maryland Rules rather than the MPIA.

The Maryland Attorney General's MPIA page at marylandattorneygeneral.gov has a full guide to your rights under the Act. It also has a complaint form if you believe an agency improperly denied your request.

Laws Governing Baltimore Felony Records

Maryland Criminal Procedure Article § 10-101 sets out the basic rule that court records are open to the public. It applies to all Maryland courts, including the Baltimore City Circuit Court. The law says that anyone may inspect and copy court records unless a specific exception applies.

Maryland Rules 16-901 through 16-912 cover electronic access to court records. These rules set out what records can be viewed online and what is restricted. Rule 16-912 covers the bulk of restrictions, including records that are sealed by court order, expunged records, and certain juvenile matters.

Criminal Procedure § 10-109 covers victim privacy in criminal cases. It limits what personal information about victims appears in public court records. Addresses and phone numbers of victims are typically redacted from the public-facing record.

Expungement law in Maryland is found at Criminal Procedure §§ 10-300 through 10-306. For most felony convictions, the waiting period before you can file for expungement is 15 years. Senate Bill 432, passed in 2024 and effective October 1, 2025, made changes to expungement eligibility for certain offenses. Anyone seeking to expunge a Baltimore City felony conviction should review the updated statute or consult an attorney to see if they now qualify.

Expungement in Baltimore

Expungement removes a criminal record from public view. In Baltimore, petitions for expungement are filed at the Baltimore City Circuit Court. The clerk's office can provide forms. Filing fees apply unless you qualify for a fee waiver based on income.

Most felony convictions require a 15-year wait. Some non-violent offenses may qualify sooner under the 2025 law changes. Acquittals, dismissals, and nolle prosequi dispositions can often be expunged after a shorter wait, sometimes three years. Certain serious offenses are not eligible for expungement at all, including most crimes of violence.

Once a petition is granted, the record is removed from the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. State and local agencies receive notice to destroy or shield their records. However, federal records are not affected by Maryland expungement orders.

Baltimore City Court Resources

Baltimore is an independent city with its own Circuit Court. The records and resources below are specific to Baltimore City felony cases.

Nearby Maryland Cities

These nearby Maryland cities also have felony records pages. Each links to county-level courts and agencies that serve those communities.