Federal Court in Maryland (D. Md.): A Family Guide

The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland is the federal trial court for the whole state. It has two divisions: Northern, based in Baltimore, and Southern, based in Greenbelt near Washington, DC. Here is where the court sits, who prosecutes and defends cases there, and where its rules are published.

Where does the court sit?

Maryland is one judicial district with two divisions (28 U.S.C. § 100). The court's site lists these courthouses:

Northern Division: Baltimore
101 West Lombard Street, Baltimore. Covers Baltimore City and most of the state's counties, including Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Harford, Frederick and the Eastern Shore.
Southern Division: Greenbelt
6500 Cherrywood Lane, Greenbelt. Covers Montgomery, Prince George's, Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties.
Salisbury
129 E. Main Street, Salisbury. The court says this office is staffed only on days when court is in session.

United States District Court for the District of Maryland

Which appeals court covers it?

Appeals from this court go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (28 U.S.C. §§ 41, 1294(1)). Its decisions are binding on the federal judges in this district, so its precedent governs cases here (uscourts.gov, About the U.S. Courts of Appeals).

Who prosecutes and who defends?

Federal prosecutors here work for the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland, part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Anyone charged with a federal crime who can’t afford a lawyer can ask the court to appoint one (18 U.S.C. § 3006A). Here, appointed lawyers come from the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland, a Federal Public Defender office with offices in Baltimore and Greenbelt, or from a panel of private lawyers the court approves.

Where are the local rules and sentencing procedures?

Every federal court follows the national rules, such as the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, plus its own local rules. This court publishes them on its local rules page.

Local Rule 213 covers sentencing: at the plea or verdict, the court enters a sentencing scheduling order in a form the whole court has approved (L.R. 213.2), and the probation officer shares any sentencing recommendation with both sides unless the judge orders otherwise (L.R. 213.1.e). The local rules don't list their own report deadlines, so the national minimums apply: the report goes to the defense at least 35 days before sentencing, and objections are due within 14 days (Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(e)(2), (f)).

“the Court shall enter an order relating to the sentencing process, in a form prescribed by the Court en banc”
L.R. 213.2

How does a lawyer from outside the district appear here?

In many federal courts, a lawyer who isn’t a member of the court’s bar must ask the judge for permission to appear in a specific case (often called pro hac vice admission), and many courts also require a lawyer who is a member of their bar to sponsor the request or appear alongside. The judge decides whether to allow it. In this court, the rule is Local Rule 201.1.b.

“The Court may permit any attorney who is an active member in good standing of the bar of any other United States court”
Local Rule 201.1.b

Which federal prisons are in this district?

Bureau of Prisons facility in this district (bop.gov lists its judicial district as Maryland):

FCI Cumberland
Medium security, with a satellite camp. Cumberland, Maryland.

A prison being in this district doesn’t mean someone sentenced here will go there. The Bureau of Prisons decides where each person serves their sentence (18 U.S.C. § 3621(b)).

What families should know about federal cases in this district

The first hearing comes fast. After an arrest, the person goes before a magistrate judge without unnecessary delay for an initial appearance (Fed. R. Crim. P. 5(a)). The judge decides whether they stay in custody while the case goes on (18 U.S.C. § 3142).
Most felony cases start with an indictment. A grand jury decides in private whether to approve the charges (Fed. R. Crim. P. 6, 7).
The presentence report matters. A federal probation officer writes a report on the offense and the person’s life before sentencing, and the defense can object to mistakes in it (Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(c)–(f)). Check this court’s schedule above.
The judge decides the sentence. The judge must consider the Sentencing Guidelines and the factors in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), including the person’s history and background. Families can write letters; there is no limit on the background information a judge may consider (18 U.S.C. § 3661).
The appeal clock is short. A defendant’s notice of appeal is usually due within 14 days after the judgment is entered (Fed. R. App. P. 4(b)(1)(A)).
Prison phones and email are monitored. Don’t discuss the case on them (28 C.F.R. § 540.102).

Questions about the District of Maryland

Will my loved one's case be in Baltimore or Greenbelt?

It depends on the county. Cases from Montgomery, Prince George's, Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties belong to the Southern Division in Greenbelt; the rest of the state is in the Northern Division in Baltimore (28 U.S.C. § 100). The charging papers and the docket show the division.

Who prosecutes federal cases in Maryland?

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland (justice.gov/usao-md), part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

What if my loved one can't afford a lawyer?

The court can appoint one (18 U.S.C. § 3006A). In this district, appointed lawyers come from the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland or from a panel of private lawyers the court approves.

Where do appeals from this court go?

To the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (28 U.S.C. §§ 41, 1294(1)). A defendant's notice of appeal is usually due within 14 days after the judgment is entered (Fed. R. App. P. 4(b)(1)(A)).

Sources

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Federal cases in the District of Maryland