Search Frederick County Felony Records
Frederick County felony records are maintained by the Circuit Court at 100 W. Patrick Street in the city of Frederick and document all felony criminal cases filed in the county. This page covers how to search Frederick County felony records for free online, how to get official copies at the courthouse, and what other county agencies hold related criminal records. Frederick County is one of Maryland's larger jurisdictions, with an active court system and multiple agencies handling different aspects of the criminal record landscape.
Frederick County Overview
Frederick County Circuit Court Felony Records
The Frederick County Circuit Court sits at 100 W. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701. Reach the clerk at (301) 600-1950. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Circuit Court is where all felony cases in Frederick County are tried and where official case records are kept. Walk-in public access to case files is available during those hours. If you know the case number or defendant's name, the clerk can pull the file quickly.
Frederick County felony case files include everything from first filing through final disposition. That means charging documents listing each count, bail orders, preliminary hearing results, all motions and judicial rulings, plea agreements or trial records, verdicts, and sentencing orders. More recent cases may also have electronically filed documents accessible through the MDEC portal. For older cases, physical files are maintained at the courthouse. Either way, the Circuit Court clerk is the right starting point.
Copies of records cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies carry a $5.00 fee plus the per-page rate. Certification is worth the extra cost when you need the records for legal purposes, since courts and agencies often require it. If you're just reviewing information for research, uncertified copies work fine. Staff accept cash and money orders at the counter. Mail requests are possible; call ahead for instructions on what to include and where to send payment.
Note: Frederick County's courts share a building at 100 W. Patrick Street. Both the Circuit Court and District Court operate there, so confirm you're at the right clerk's window when you arrive.
Searching Frederick County Felony Records Online
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal is the primary free tool for searching Frederick County felony records online. It covers all Maryland counties and includes both Circuit Court and District Court records. The portal was redesigned on February 5, 2024. If you used it before that date, expect the interface to look different, though the data is the same.
To search Frederick County felony cases, select Frederick County from the location filter and choose Circuit Court. You can search by name, case number, or date range. With a county population over 280,000, common names will generate a lot of results. Add a birth year or narrow your date range to cut down on irrelevant hits. The system caps results at 500 per search, so precise searches are more efficient.
The MDEC portal offers access to e-filed court documents in Frederick County cases that have moved to the electronic filing system. More recent felony filings may be available there, allowing you to view actual documents rather than just docket summaries. Some document types require a registered account. Check both Case Search and MDEC to get the fullest picture available online.
Case Search is informational. For official purposes, always follow up with the Circuit Court clerk to get certified records. The clerk can also tell you if any portion of the online record has been sealed or modified since it was posted to the public-facing system.
What Frederick County Felony Records Contain
Frederick County felony records document the full arc of a criminal case. The case file begins with the charging document, which identifies the defendant, lists each count, and states the underlying facts. From there, the docket tracks every proceeding: bail hearings, arraignments, motions, scheduling orders, continuances, and substantive rulings. The file ends with the final disposition, whether that's a conviction, dismissal, nolle prosequi, or acquittal.
Sentencing records are a key part of what felony files contain. They specify the sentence imposed, including incarceration length, suspension, probation terms, fines, and conditions. Probation conditions might include drug testing, electronic monitoring, or restrictions on contact with certain people. These are all public unless the court has sealed the sentencing record in a specific case, which is rare.
Some documents within a Frederick County felony file are restricted. Pre-sentence investigation reports are confidential. Mental health evaluations ordered by the court are sealed. Victim addresses and identifying information protected by state law are redacted. If you want to see a file and some documents aren't provided, ask the clerk to identify what rule or order applies. Courts are required to explain access restrictions to people who request records.
Frederick County Sheriff and Police Records
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement throughout unincorporated parts of the county. Their main office is at 110 Airport Drive E, Frederick, MD 21701. Phone: (301) 600-2071. The Sheriff maintains arrest records and incident reports for cases deputies handled. These records show who was arrested, on what charges, where, and when. They are separate from court records but often tie directly to felony cases in the Circuit Court.
The Frederick County Sheriff's website has current contact information and may include guidance on records requests. The Sheriff's records unit processes requests for incident reports and arrest records. Response times vary depending on volume and whether a case is still active. A closed case is generally faster to get records from than an ongoing investigation.
The Frederick County District Court shares the building at 100 W. Patrick Street. Phone: (301) 600-2000. This court holds preliminary hearings for felony cases before they transfer to Circuit Court, and it handles misdemeanor matters independently. Early-stage felony records, including initial charging documents and bail decisions, are in the District Court file until the case transfers. Those records are searchable through Maryland Judiciary Case Search.
The Frederick County State's Attorney's office is also at 100 W. Patrick Street. Phone: (301) 600-1545. They prosecute felony cases on behalf of the state. Their internal files are not public records, but they can confirm basic case details and direct you to the public court record for fuller information.
Note: The City of Frederick has its own police department separate from the county Sheriff. Arrest records for incidents within city limits may be held by the Frederick City Police rather than the Sheriff's Office.
Maryland Public Information Act in Frederick County
The Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA), codified at General Provisions §§ 4-101 through 4-601, gives you the right to request records from Frederick County government agencies. That includes the Sheriff, the State's Attorney, and other county departments that create records related to criminal activity. MPIA applies to law enforcement and administrative records that aren't covered by court rules governing case file access.
Agencies must respond to written MPIA requests within 30 days. The first two hours of staff time are free. After that, agencies can charge for the time. Copies cost $0.50 per page. The Maryland Attorney General's MPIA page has model request letters, a guide to what you can and cannot access, and information on how to appeal a denial. It's a useful starting point if you've never filed an MPIA request before.
For Frederick County Sheriff records, address your MPIA request in writing to 110 Airport Drive E, Frederick. For other county agencies, send the request to the agency's official address. Be specific. Name the records you want, give dates and case or incident numbers if you have them, and state whether you want digital or paper copies. Specificity leads to faster, more complete responses. The Frederick County government website lists contact information for all county departments.
Felony Record Access Laws in Frederick County
Maryland Rules 16-901 through 16-912 govern public access to court records in Frederick County, as they do throughout the state. These rules lay out which court records are open by default, which require a petition or court order to view, and which are permanently sealed. Criminal Procedure § 10-101 establishes the core right of any person to inspect criminal court records, and courts must honor that right during business hours without requiring you to explain why you want access.
Certain categories of records are not accessible. Juvenile records are sealed. Mental health records ordered by the court are confidential. Pre-sentence investigation reports are not public. Victim information protected under state law is redacted. These aren't Frederick County-specific rules; they apply statewide. If a specific document in a case file is withheld from you, the clerk should cite the applicable rule or order.
Maryland Criminal Procedure § 10-109 allows individuals to challenge the accuracy of their own criminal records held by state agencies. If you find an error in a Frederick County felony record that is attributed to you, contact the Maryland Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) at 6776 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215. Phone: (410) 764-4501. Request your personal criminal history for $38 and then follow CJIS procedures to dispute any inaccuracies. The process takes time but results in a corrected official record if your challenge is valid.
Expungement of Frederick County Felony Records
Maryland allows expungement of certain felony convictions under Criminal Procedure §§ 10-300 through 10-306. The waiting period is 15 years from the later of the conviction date, release from any incarceration, or the end of probation or supervised release. With Frederick County's population growing steadily, there are many people in the county with older felony records who may now qualify.
Maryland Senate Bill 432, which took effect October 1, 2025, expanded expungement eligibility to include more felony categories. The law changed the legal landscape significantly. If you looked into expungement for a Frederick County felony conviction and were told it didn't qualify under the old rules, check again under the current statute. The Frederick County Circuit Court clerk can tell you which form to use and what the filing fee is. A Maryland attorney can advise whether your specific offense is now eligible.
To file for expungement in Frederick County, use form CC-DC-CR-072 and submit it to the Circuit Court at 100 W. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701. The clerk will process the filing, serve the State's Attorney, and schedule any required hearing. The State's Attorney may object, and a judge decides. If the expungement is granted, the record is removed from public court files and from the Case Search portal. Law enforcement agencies listed in the expungement order may retain internal access to the record even after it's removed from public view.
Note: Dismissals and acquittals in Frederick County felony cases often qualify for faster expungement than convictions. The waiting period rules differ significantly depending on how the case ended.
Nearby Maryland Counties
Frederick County shares borders with four other Maryland counties. Each has its own Circuit Court and maintains separate felony records, all accessible through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal.
Cities in Frederick County
The city of Frederick is the county seat and the only city in Frederick County that meets the population threshold for a dedicated page. Frederick city felony records are processed through the same Frederick County Circuit Court at 100 W. Patrick Street.