Maryland Court of Appeals

     The Court of Appeals, the highest court in the State of Maryland, was created by the Maryland Constitution of 1776. Its origins go back to 1694 when royal governor Francis Nicholson first established the Court of Appeals, our state's “supreme court.” Technically, the name of the court is the Court of Appeals of Maryland but it is typically referred to as the Maryland Court of Appeals.

     The court hears cases almost exclusively by way of certiorarMaryland Court of Appealsi, a discretionary review process.  In other words, it only considers cases that it believes have issues are worth addressing. If the court does not believe there is an issue that needs to be given further consideration or analysis, it will deny certiorari and refuse to hear the case. A petition for writ of certiorari filed in the Maryland Court of Appeals seeking the court to overrule a decision of the Court of Special Appeals must be filed no later than 15 days from the date of the order of the Court of Special Appeals.

     Another important function of the Maryland Court of Appeals is that the court may adopt rules of judicial administration, practice, and procedure that have the force of law. The most notable example of this is Maryland Rules which sets forth the rules of practice and procedure for Maryland state courts.