Title 1. Court Structure and Organization — Subtitle 2. General

The power of the Supreme Court of Maryland to make rules and regulations to govern the practice and procedure and judicial administration in that court and in the other courts of the State shall be liberally construed. Without intending to limit the comprehensive application of the term “practice and procedure,” the term includes the forms of process; writs; pleadings; motions; parties; depositions; discovery; trials; judgments; new trials; provisional and final remedies; appeals; unification of practice and procedure in actions at law and suits in equity, so as to secure one form of civil action and procedure for both; and regulation of the form and method of taking and the admissibility of evidence in all cases, including criminal cases.

Except for the District Court, other courts may by rule regulate terms of court for purposes other than the return of process and may make other rules of practice and procedure subject to and not inconsistent with any rule of the Supreme Court of Maryland. However, except for a rule regulating terms of court, every rule shall be adopted pursuant to the limitations and procedures prescribed by the Maryland Rules, unless authority to adopt rules is expressly granted by public general law.

A court may exercise the power to punish for contempt of court or to compel compliance with its commands in the manner prescribed by Title 15, Chapter 200 of the Maryland Rules.

A person who has been adjudicated guilty of contempt for failure to pay a monetary amount specified in a decree or order passed in a civil proceeding is not barred by reason of the adjudication of contempt from filing a petition for modification of the decree or order, requesting any other relief, or proceeding to hearing on a petition, even though the contempt has not been purged or removed. A petition filed prior to actual adjudication of contempt may be consolidated in the discretion of the court and heard with a citation for contempt, if the petition is at issue and ready for disposition in accordance with the practice in the court in which the matter is pending.

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, no judge may during his term of office practice law, maintain an office for the practice of law, or have any interest in an office for the practice of law, whether conducted in whole or in part by himself or by others. A judge may not allow his name to be used in connection with a law office, nor may he profit directly or indirectly from the practice of law.

Prior to qualification for judicial office, a judge may agree with his former law firm, or his successor in practice, that the judge may receive over a reasonable period of time one or more payments representing the reasonable liquidated value of his interest in his former practice as of the date of the termination of practice. The agreement shall be in writing and a copy shall be filed with the secretary of the Maryland Judicial Conference. In determining reasonable liquidated value, the judge’s interest in contingent fees with respect to matters then pending in his law office may be taken into account.

While he is receiving payments under this section, a judge may not hear a case in which a partner or employee of his former firm or successor in interest is an attorney of record.

Except as otherwise provided by law, on or after June 1, 2010, a court, to the extent practicable, may not publicly post or display on an Internet website maintained or paid for by the court an individual’s personal information.

There is a minimum adequate security standard for courtroom security at all courthouse facilities in the State.

For the purposes of this section, a court security officer must meet the qualifications for a special police officer as defined in § 3–301 of the Public Safety Article.

Beginning July 1, 2027, during court proceedings, any entity responsible for providing courthouse security shall use best efforts to have present a minimum of:

Beginning July 1, 2029, during court proceedings, any entity responsible for providing courthouse security shall use best efforts to have present a minimum of: