ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS
ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS
In 1944, administrative direction for the courts of Maryland became the responsibility of the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals as "the administrative head of the judicial system of the State" (Constitution, present Art. IV, sec. 18(b)). Not until 1955, however, did the General Assembly take steps to provide professional administrative staff to assist the Chief Judge with these duties. In that year, the General Assembly created the Administrative Office of the Courts (Chapter 343, Acts of 1955).
The Office is headed by the State Court Administrator appointed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. The Office helps the Chief Judge oversee and implement court policies established by the Chief Judge, the Court of Appeals, and the General Assembly.
The Administrative Office of the Courts conducts planning and research; provides staff support for the education and training of judges, as well as nonjudicial personnel; and prepares and administers the Judiciary budget. The Office serves as liaison with the legislative and executive branches; provides staff support for the Maryland Judicial Conference and the Conference of Circuit Judges; operates information systems; and gathers and analyzes statistics and other management information. The Office also assists the Chief Judge in the assignment of judges to cope with temporary backlogs or to address shortages of judicial personnel (Code Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, sec. 13-101).
The staffs of the circuit administrators in the First, Second and Fourth Judicial Circuits also are attached to the Administrative Office.
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON THE CIRCUIT COURT REAL PROPERTY RECORDS IMPROVEMENT FUND
The Oversight Committee on the Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund was established in 1995 (Chapter 566, Acts of 1995). The Committee advises the State Court Administrator on managing and dispersing the Circuit Court Real Property Records Improvement Fund, created in 1991 (Chapter 327, Acts of 1991). In each county, the Fund is used to repair, replace, modernize, and maintain equipment in the county land records office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Fund is financed by surcharges on county land records.
The Committee has five members. Authorization for the Committee and the Fund continues until June 30, 2001.
Maryland Manual On-Line
Maryland Manual On-Line, 1997
November 14, 1997
Note: In this past edition of Maryland Manual, some links are to external sites. View the current Manual
© Copyright November 12, 1997 Maryland State Archives