Annual Report Maryland Judiciary
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If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MARYLAND JUDICIARY '.'< 1987 .. 1988 () fAfl ~ ,,....<:-.0 \1\ \.ft '"--lita /12.55 0 i\NNUAL EPORT OF THE l\!1[ARYLAND JUDICIARY 1987-1988 N~';:;;'JRS tJfDW 8 1985 AQQUl.~t~i'l:·eN·S Administrative Office of the Courts Courts of Appeal Building Post Office Box 431 Annapolis, Maryland 21404 3011974-2141 COVER: Restored Stained Glass Dome, Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., Courthouse, Baltimore Report prepared by the Administrative Office of the Courts Michael V. O'Malley Peter 1 Lally Faye Gaskin Nonna P. Gainer Photographs: Courtesy of Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development-Office of Tourism Development --- -----------~------- ------ Letter of Transmittal .............................................. v Introduction ..................................................... Vll Judicial Revenues and Expenditures ................................. 1 The Maryland Courts .................. ,........................... 7 The Court of Appeals ......................................... 11 The Court of Special Appeals .............. ,................... 21 The Circuit Courts ........................................... 33 The District Court ........................................... 73 Judicial Administration ........................................... 87 Administrative Office of the Courts ............................. 89 Judicial Education and Information Services. .. 90 Judicial Information Systems. .. .. .. .. 90 Judicial Special Projects ... ,................................... 92 Judicial Research and Planning Services ......................... 92 Judicial Administrative Services ................................ 92 Judicial Personnel Services .................................... 92 Sentencing Guidelines ........................................ 93 Liaison with the Legislative and Executive Branches ............... 94 Circuit Court Administration .................................. 94 District Court of Maryland ..................................... 94 Assignment of Judges .......................................... 96 Court-Related Units ............................................... 97 Board of Law Examiners ....................................... 99 Rules Committee ..................... , ...................... 101 State Law Library ............................................ 103 Attorney Grievance Commission ............................... 104 Clients' Security Trust Fund ................................... 105 Judicial Conferences ............................................. 107 The Maryland Judicial Conference .............................. 109 Conference of Circuit Judges ................................... 110 Administrative Judges Committee of the District Court ............ 111 Appointment, Discipline, and Removal of Judges ...................... 113 Judicial Nominating Commissions .............................. 115 Removal and Discipline of Judges .............................. 119 The Commission on Judicial Disabilities ......................... 119 1988 Legislation Affecting the Courts .................... , .......... 121 Listing of Tables and Definitions ................................... 125 Listing of Tables ............................................. 127 Definitions .................................................. 130 iii ADMINISTRATIVE OFl<~CE OF THE COURTS COURTS OF APPEAL BUILDING ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 21401 974-2141 STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR DEPUTY STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR JAMES H. NORRIS, ..,iR. ROBERT W. McKEEVER September 1, 1988 I am pleased to submit the twelfth Annual Report of the Maryland Judiciary, which includes the thirty-third Annual Report of the Administrative Office of the Courts, as required by § 13-101(d)(9) of the Courts Article. The report covers Fiscal Year 1988, beginning July 1, 1987, and ending June 30, 1988. The report is presented in one volume with the courts and other sections containing the statistical material associated with that section so that each will be self contained. It is hoped that this will provide a ready source of information for an understanding of the structure and operations of the courts of Maryland. The statistics on which most of the report is based have been provided through the fine efforts of the clerks of the appellate courts, the circuit courts of the counties and Baltimore City and of the District Court of Maryland. My thanks to them and all those whose invaluable assistance has contributed to the preparation of this publication. James H. Norris, Jr. State Court Administrator TTY FOR DEA,.: ANNAPOLIS AREA P974-aeOD WASHINGTON AREA P.J50lS~04"O v au IntrroductioIDl ROBERT C. MURPHY CHIE"- ,JUDGE: COURT OT APPI!:"'LS OF MARYLAND COURTS or APPI!.:AL BUILDING At~HAPOLI9. MARYLAND 21.01 September 1, 1988 This twelfth Annual Report of the Maryland Judiciary outlines the functions, responsibilities and accomplish ments of the judicial department of Maryland. It is prepared so that the members of the executive and legislative branches as well as the public in general may have a better understanding of the operations of the judicial system. It is hoped that with this information we may all join together in a continuing effort for a fully effective justice system. This report shows that the total filings of the courts have continued to generally increase. However, I can report that the Maryland courts are striving to cope with the large caseloads while never losing sight of their commitment to provide the State with an outstanding judicial system. I am, as always, grateful to all the judges and supporting staff for their excellent work in keeping our busy courts running smoothly. Robert C. Murphy Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of Maryland vii ---------------------------- ------------------ 3 State and local costs to support the operations of the judicial branch of government were approximately $135,130,000 in Fiscal 1988. The judicial branch consists of the Court of Appeals; the Court of Special Appeals; the circuit courts; the District Court of Judicial Personnel 220 Maryland; the clerks' offices and headquarters of the several courts; the Administrative Office of the Courts; Nonjudicial Personnel the Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Court of Appeals 30 Procedure of the Court of Appeals; the State Board Court of Special Appeals 57 of Law Examiners; the Maryland State Law Library; District Court 1,099 and the Commission on Judicial Disabilities. There Administrative Office of the C0U11s 137 were 220 judicial positions as of June 30, 1988, and Court-Related Offices 25 approximately 3,116 nonjudicial positions in the (Includes Staff to State Board judicial branch. of Law Examiners, Standing The state-funded judiciary budget operates on a Committee on Rules of Practice program budget and expended $73,491,658 in the and Procedure, State Law Library, twelve-month period ending June 30, 1988. The two and State Reporter) appellate courts and the clerks' offices are funded by Circuit Courts 2 two programs. Another program pays the salaries and official travel costs for the circuit court judges. The Clerks' Offices-Circuit Courts 1,056 largest program is the state-funded District Court Circuit Courts-Local Funding 710 which expended $46,690,338, but brought in general revenue of $47,790,429 in Fiscal 1988. The Maryland Total 3,336* Judicial Conference contains funds for continuing judicial education and Conference activities. Remain *Includes permanent and contractual positions. ing programs provide funds for the Administrative Sailing 011 the Chesapeake Bay 4 Annual Repvrt vf the Maryland Judiciary JUDICIAL BUDGET _______ 0.8% __ ---HUMAN RESOURCES 7.5% \-+--- PUBLIC SAFETY 5.4% State funded portion ofjudicial expenditures (shown as solid area) as a percentage of total state expenditures in Fiscal 1988 Actual Actual Actual Program FY 1986 FY 1987 FY 1988 Court of Appeals $ 57;102 $ 69,218 $ 68,930 Court of Special Appeals 65,324 64,766 66,587 State Board of Law Examiners 377,754 393,303 399,104 District Court 41,479,118 43,267,460 47,790,429 TOTAL $41,979,298 $43,794,747 $48,325,050 * Rovenues come from filing fees, fines, bail forfeitures and court costs remitted to the State's general fund and are not available to offset expenditures. Actual Actual Actual Program FY 1986 FY 1987 FY 1988 Court of Appeals $ 1,708,294 $ 1,916,858 $ 1,968,524 Court of Special Appeals 3,049,788 3,501,379 3,531,353 Circuit Courts 11,263,461 12,215,344 13,082,276 District Court 37,684,750 40,945,123 46,690,338 Maryland Judicial Conference 77,167 84,495 70,876 Administrative Office of the Courts 1,427,058 1,555,808 1,487,506 Court-Related Agencies 664,168 736,830 730,141 Maryland State Law Library 426,214 468,759 503,723 JUdicial Data Processing 5,766,217 5.535,969 5,426,921 TOTAL $52,938,118 $66,960,565 $73,491,658 * Expenditures are paid from annual appropriations by the legislature to the judiciary budget. Judidal Revel/lies and EtpendilurcI 5 Office of the Courts, the Maryland State Law Library, fund paid by the State. This is no longer the case. Judicial Data Processing, the Standing Committee on An court-related revenue collected by these offices Rules of Practice and Procedure, the State Board of is now remitted to the State general fund and cannot Law Examiners, the State Reporter, and the Com be used to offset e~xpenditures. Expenses for Fiscal mission on Judicial Disabilities. 1988 were $33,238,815. The Attorney Grievance Commission and the Other circuit