Chief Judge is appointed by the Chief Judge of the
Court of Appeals.

The District Court is divided into twelve geo-
graphical districts, each containing one or more
political subdivisions, with at least one judge in
each subdivision. Presently, there are 90 judges on
the Court, including the Chief Judge. The Chief
Judge is the administrative head of the Court and
appoints administrative judges for each of the
twelve districts, subject to the approval of the
Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. A Chief
Clerk of the Court is appointed by the Chief Judge.
Administrative Clerks for each district are also
appointed, as well as commissioners who perform
such duties as issuing arrest warrants and setting
bail or collateral.

The District Court has jurisdiction in both
criminal (including motor vehicle) and civil areas.
It has little equity jurisdiction and has jurisdiction
over juvenile cases only in Montgomery County.
The exclusive jurisdiction of the District Court
generally includes all landlord/tenant cases; re-
plevin actions; motor vehicle violations; criminal
cases if the penalty is less than three years
imprisonment or does not exceed a fine of $2,500,
or both; and civil cases involving amounts not
exceeding $2,500. It has concurrent jurisdiction
with the circuit courts in civil cases over $2,500 but
not exceeding $10,000, and concurrent jurisdiction
in misdemeanors and certain enumerated felonies.
Since there are no juries provided in the District
Court, a person entitled to and electing a jury trial
must proceed to the circuit court (Code 1957, Art.
26, secs. 139-157; Code Courts and Judicial Pro-
ceedings Article, secs. 1-601 through 1-608, 2-601
through 2-607, 4-301 through 4-304, 4-401
through 4-530, 6-403, 7-301, 7-302, 9-201,
11-W2, 11-701 through 11-703, 12^01).

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE
COURTS

James H. Norris, Jr., State Court Administrator

Robert W. McKeever, Deputy State Court Admin-
istrator

Patricia A. Nelson, Director, Sentencing Guidelines
Project

Michael V. O'Malley, Assistant State Court Admin-
istrator, Special Projects, Research and Planning

J. Allen Hines, Assistant State Court Administrator,
Administrative Services

Jerry A. Powell, Assistant State Court Administra-
tor, Judicial Information Systems

Judiciary/433

Ernest L. Bailey, Jr., Assistant State Court Admin-
istrator, Personnel

Frank Broccolina, Assistant State Court Adminis-
trator, Education and Information

Courts of Appeal Building
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 269-2141

In 1944, the people of Maryland recognized the
need for providing administrative direction to the
court system when they ratified what is now
Article IV, Section 18(b) of the Constitution,
providing that the Chief Judge of the Court of
Appeals is "the administrative head of the Judicial
system of the State." But it was not until 1955 that
the General Assembly took initial steps to provide
professional administrative staff to assist the Chief
Judge in carrying out administrative responsibili-
ties.

In the latter year, the General Assembly created
the Administrative Office of the Courts, headed by
a State Court Administrator appointed by and
serving at the pleasure of the Chief Judge of the
Court of Appeals. The State Court Administrator
and the Administrative Office provide the Chief
Judge with advice, information, facilities, and staff
to aid him in the performance of his administrative
duties, and to implement court administrative
policies established by the Chief Judge, the Court
of Appeals, and the General Assembly.

These administrative tasks include planning,
research, providing staff support for the education
and training of judges and nonjudicial personnel,
and preparation and administration of the Judicia-
ry budget. They involve liaison with the legislative
and executive branches, staff support for the
Maryland Judicial Conference and the Conference
of Circuit Judges, the operation of information
systems, and the gathering and analysis of statistics
and other management information. The Adminis-
trative Office also assists the Chief Judge in the
deployment of judges to cope with temporary
backlogs or to address shortages of judicial person-
nel (Code Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article,
sec. 13-101).

The staff of the circuit administrators in the
First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Judicial Circuits
are also attached to the Administrative Office.

THE STATE REPORTER

Alexander L. Cummings, State Reporter

Courts of Appeal Building
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 269-3539