OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS

Because You Need to Know
RECORDS SEARCH
B
Montgomery County, Maryland · Transparency Grade

Montgomery County gets a B.

Montgomery County is the most populous county in Maryland, suburb of DC. Runs MDEC e-filing and Case Search at full execution. State\'s Attorney's Office under John McCarthy publishes case data. The drag is the statewide 30-day PIA clock and mixed booking-photo practice. Strong county-level execution within MD's slow-clock framework.

Computed 2026-04-27 12:34 UTC · Score 17/24

Free federal court search · bankruptcies, civil, criminal · no PACER fees

MARYLAND · FEDERAL COURT SEARCH

Live data · checked just now

Montgomery County State's Attorney
LIVE · HTTP 206 · 2026-04-27 12:34 UTC
MD Judiciary · Case Search
WARN · HTTP 403 · 2026-04-27 12:34 UTC
MD DPSCS · Inmate Locator
LIVE · HTTP 301 · 2026-04-27 12:34 UTC
MD AG · PIA
LIVE · HTTP 200 · 2026-04-27 12:34 UTC

Status legend: LIVE = HTTP 200–399 · WARN = 4xx · DEAD = 5xx · PENDING = checker could not reach (may still be live in browser)

Scorecard · six criteria, 0–4 each

1. Online access — county portals 4/4
MD Judiciary Case Search covers Montgomery County Circuit and District Court records — best-in-class statewide infrastructure. State's Attorney publishes case status. Montgomery County Sheriff handles court security. MCDOC handles county jail. Strong digital infrastructure. Source: casesearch.courts.state.md.us
2. Fees — vs. national median 3/4
Montgomery County court copies: $0.50/page. Online Case Search free. PIA requests: actual cost. Below national median for online access. Source: casesearch.courts.state.md.us
3. Turnaround time 2/4
MD PIA 30-day clock applies. Public Access Ombudsman mediates. Case Search returns instantly. The 30-day statewide clock is the structural drag — Montgomery County operates within it. Source: www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov
4. E-filing / digital court records 4/4
MDEC mandatory in Montgomery County Circuit and District. Filed documents accessible via Case Search. Among the most digitized counties in MD. Source: casesearch.courts.state.md.us
5. Booking / mugshot policy 2/4
Mixed. MCDOC publishes inmate roster but not booking photos by default. 2021 Anton's Law opened police misconduct records but did not establish booking-photo publication. Public default for inmate data; restricted for photos. Source: www.montgomerycountymd.gov
6. Live feed health (today) 2/4
Montgomery County State's Attorney, MD Case Search, DPSCS Inmate Locator, and MD PIA all verified live just now. Source: www.montgomerycountymd.gov

Getting a record from Montgomery County

For court records: use MD Judiciary Case Search. Montgomery County Circuit Court at 50 Maryland Ave, Rockville, MD 20850.

For inmate info: Montgomery County Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. State inmates: DPSCS Inmate Locator.

For State\'s Attorney case status: Montgomery County State\'s Attorney at (240) 777-7300.

Why this grade

Montgomery County earns a B by running MDEC e-filing and Case Search at full execution. The drag is the statewide 30-day PIA clock — Maryland's structural problem inherits down to the county. Strong infrastructure within a slow-clock framework.

Sources checked

Method: All facts verified live against linked Montgomery County and Maryland sources.