There is an Administrative Office of the Courts, headed by the State Court Administrator. The Administrator is appointed by and holds office during the pleasure of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland. The Administrator shall have the compensation provided in the State budget. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall have a seal in the form the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland approves. The courts of the State shall take judicial notice of the seal. Subject to the approval of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland, the Administrator may appoint employees necessary to carry out his duties. The persons appointed shall have the compensation provided in the State budget. Neither the Administrator nor any employee of the Administrative Office of the Courts may engage directly or indirectly in the practice of law. The State Court Administrator, under the supervision and direction of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland, shall: Examine the state of the dockets of the courts and determine the need for assistance by any court; Make recommendations to the Chief Justice relating to assignment of judges to courts in need of assistance and carry out the directions of the Chief Justice as to assignment of judges; Collect and compile statistical and other data, make reports of the business transacted by the courts, and transmit this information to the Chief Justice in order that action may be taken in respect to it; Prepare and submit budget estimates of State appropriations necessary for maintenance and operation of the judicial system and make recommendations in respect to it; Draw any requisition for payment of State money appropriated for maintenance and operation of the judicial system; Collect statistical and other data and make reports relating to expenditure of State and local public money for maintenance and operation of the judicial system and the offices connected to it; Obtain reports in accordance with law or rules of the Supreme Court of Maryland or the Chief Justice adopts on cases and other judicial business in which action is delayed beyond periods of time specified by law or rules of court, and report the information to the Chief Justice; Formulate and submit to the Chief Justice recommendations for improvement of the judicial system; Make and publish an annual report of the affairs of the Administrator’s Office; Design a citation form for citations to be issued under § 3–8A–33 of this article and citations to be issued to a minor under § 10–119 of the Criminal Law Article; and Perform other duties the Chief Justice assigns. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall: Keep a current list of alcoholism education or treatment programs that the Maryland Department of Health approves for use under § 6–219(c) or § 6–220(e) of the Criminal Procedure Article; and Notify promptly the appropriate judges whenever the Maryland Department of Health approves a new alcoholism education or treatment program or withdraws approval for a program. Every judge, clerk of court, and any other State or local officer shall comply with any request approved by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland and made by the Administrator or any of his assistants for information and statistical data bearing on the state of the dockets of the courts, the business transacted by them, and the expenditure of public money for maintenance and operation of the judicial system.

The State Court Administrator shall assess drug court programs in circuit courts, including juvenile courts, and the District Court to determine how to increase these programs in a manner sufficient to meet each county’s needs. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Administrative Office of the Courts request an appropriation of $2,000,000 of additional funding in the State budget for fiscal year 2019 for the purpose of awarding grants to expand the scope of drug court programs described under subsection (a) of this section. The State Court Administrator shall disburse the grants authorized under paragraph (1) of this subsection based on the population of the county, to circuit courts, including juvenile courts, and the District Court.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Artificial intelligence” has the meaning stated in § 3.5–801 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. “Office” means the Administrative Office of the Courts. “Program” means the Artificial Intelligence Evidence Clinic Pilot Program. There is an Artificial Intelligence Evidence Clinic Pilot Program in the Office. The purpose of the Program is to provide expertise in artificial intelligence to the circuit courts and the District Court in the form of expert testimony on the authenticity of electronic evidence that a court determines may have been created or altered using artificial intelligence. The Program shall engage college and university students, recent graduates, and faculty and technology professionals dedicated to the research and advancement of artificial intelligence in order to develop expert witness resources for courts to use in cases implicating the use of artificial intelligence. The Program shall prioritize civil cases in which one or more parties do not have legal representation or reasonable access to expert testimony. In administering the Program, the Office shall: Develop a grant application for the Program; and Award grants to eligible institutions of higher education. For fiscal years 2027 and 2028, the Governor may include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $250,000 to the Program. Not more than 20% of the money appropriated to the Program may be used for administrative expenses. The terms of an agreement between the Office and a grantee may include a clause that requires the Office to hold harmless the grantee against any claim alleging liability or damages relating to the provision of expertise in artificial intelligence as part of the Program, except in cases of willful or wanton misconduct, gross negligence, or intentionally tortious conduct.

In each county of the seventh judicial circuit, there may be a court administrator. The court administrator shall be appointed by the county administrative judge after consultation with the circuit administrative judge and shall hold office at the pleasure of the county administrative judge. The court administrator shall devote time and attention to the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that the county administrative judge prescribes. The court administrator, with the approval of the county administrative judge, shall appoint employees necessary to enable the administrator to perform the duties assigned to the position. Each county government shall provide compensation for the employees, together with expenses for the proper performance of assigned duties of the court administrator and employees appointed under this section. The court administrator may not engage directly or indirectly in the practice of law.