Ch. 314

LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAPTER 314

(Senate Bill 19)

AN ACT concerning

Small Claims Court - Jurisdiction and Appeals

FOR the purpose of altering the jurisdictional amount of a small
claim action in the District Court; altering the amount in
controversy which determines whether an appeal from the
District Count shall be heard on the record; providing for
the application and construction of this Act; providing for
the elective date of this Act; and generally relating to
jurisdiction of, and appeals from, the District Court.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

Section 4-405 and 12-401(d)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1984 Replacement Volume and 1986 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

4-405.

The District Court has exclusive jurisdiction over a small
claim action, which, for purposes of this section, means a civil
action for money in which the amount claimed does not exceed
[$1,000] $2,500 exclusive of interest, costs, and attorney's
fees, if attorney's fees are recoverable by law or contract; and
landlord tenant action under §§ 8-401 and 8-402 of the Real
Property Article of the Code, in which the amount of rent claimed
does not exceed [$1,000] $2,500 exclusive of interest and costs.

12-401.

(d) In a civil case in which the amount in controversy
exceeds [$1,000] $2,500 exclusive of interest, costs, and
attorney's fees if attorney's fees are recoverable by law or
contract, and in any case in which the parties to agree, an
appeal shall be heard on the record made in the District Court.
In every other case, including a criminal case in which sentence
has been imposed on suspended following a plea of nolo contendere
or guilty, and an appeal in a municipal infraction on Code
violation case, an appeal shall be tried de novo.

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