Welcome, Baltimore City E-Filers! The Maryland Judiciary is pleased to report that the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and the District Court of Maryland in Baltimore City has joined the Judiciary’s statewide case management system known as the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) system. This will mark the Judiciary’s successful completion of implementing MDEC statewide. Read the full email here.
This past weekend, Tyler Technologies implemented a security enhancement designed to protect court documents. The policy change was implemented as an emergency remediation solution and as a result, we were unable to provide advance notice. The additional security measure requires e-filers to validate their email address before opening a link to a filed/served document.
We have been told that the requirement to enter an email address for retrieval of every document is a temporary solution and Tyler Technologies is working on an alternative method of validation.
Please follow the following guidelines and use only an allowable email address when completing the validation to access a document link. Read more to see the guidelines.
Effective November 1, 2023, the District Court of Prince George’s County will begin accepting failure to pay rent filings electronically into Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC). The use of electronic filing (e-filing) technology provides a fast and convenient method of filing complaint documents for landlords while allowing the courts to operate more efficiently.
The remainder of MDEC counties are scheduled to offer the same service beginning January 2, 2024; Baltimore City is scheduled for May, 2024. Baltimore County began accepting failure to pay rent e-filings on June 6, 2022. All failure to pay rent filers are encouraged to file electronically.
A Vendor Electronic Service Provider (VEFSP) provides e-filing services which allow registered users to remotely file documents into Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC). Each VEFSP offers a variety of features that can be used to meet the e-filing needs of attorneys and self-represented litigants. You can learn more about Maryland’s certified VEFSPs by visiting the links below.
- ABC Legal
- Click Notices
- Court Filing Maryland
- File & ServeXpress
- FileTime
- GreenFiling
- InfoTrack
- INTELeTech (Landlord/Tenant Cases Only)
- Legal Automation Systems
- Tyler Technologies
- US Legal Pro
We are pleased to welcome FileTime and INTELeTech to our Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) team.
Please ensure all saved bookmarks and/or favorites in your internet browser for Odyssey File & Serve are updated to the current site URL, which is https://maryland.tylertech.cloud/OfsWeb. Tyler will be deprecating the old site URL (https://maryland.tylerhost.net/ofsweb) effective May 9, 2023, so the automatic redirect to this site will no longer exist. Perform the following verification steps to prevent errors from occurring after May 9.
- Right click on your favorite/bookmark and select EDIT
- If the URL is https://maryland.tylerhost.net, change it to https://maryland.tylertech.cloud/OfsWeb and SAVE
An additional e-filing deficiency has been identified by the State Court Administrator. An attorney entering an appearance as a victim's attorney or attorney for the victim's representative must file the MDJ-009 – Notice of Entry of Appearance by Attorney for Victim or Victim's Representative.
Electronic Service (E-Service)
E-service is used to electronically serve documents to case parties. To receive electronic case notifications, you must 1) confirm that Tyler's service email is whitelisted, 2) add your service contact information to the public list, and 3) add your service contact information to existing cases. All filers are responsible for adding one or more service contact(s) to their cases for receipt of e-service. If you are new to MDEC, your converted cases will need an e-service contact on each case for you to receive electronic service on those cases.
On December 14, 2022, the names of Maryland’s two appellate courts will change. The Court of Appeals of Maryland will be renamed the Supreme Court of Maryland. The Court of Special Appeals will be renamed the Appellate Court of Maryland.
For cases initiated on or after December 14, 2022, the case number formats for appellate cases will change.
IMPORTANT: Case numbers for cases created before December 14, 2022 will not change! Read more for case number formats.
Electronic Service (E-Service)
E-service is used to electronically serve documents to case parties. If you are new to MDEC, or if you are not receiving electronic case notifications, 1) confirm that Tyler's service email is whitelisted, 2) add your service contact information to the public list and 2) add your service contact information to existing cases. All filers are responsible for adding one or more service contact(s) to their cases for receipt of e service.
Whitelisting Service Email Address
E-served documents are sent from the following Tyler Technologies email address: [email protected].
Occasionally, your email provider may block this email address by identifying the email as spam or "junk" mail. If this block should occur and you do not receive e-filing notifications, you will need to identify the Tyler email address as safe by "whitelisting" the email address.
Follow these instructions for whitelisting: How do I whitelist an e-mail?
For emails from the Maryland Judiciary containing outage or policy notifications, whitelist this email address: [email protected].
Add Service Contact to the Public List
Including your service contact on the public list will allow e-filers to search for your contact information. To enable e service for your firm, you must enter at least one attorney in the Service Contacts section of the Filer Dashboard by using the "Actions" drop down box.
Pursuant to Maryland Rule 20-201(f), if the "Actions" drop-down box is not used to provide service contact information when an initial submission is filed in an action, the default e-mail address for subsequent notifications and service of other parties' submission in the action will be the e-mail address that the filer used when transmitting the initial submission in the action.
It is important to mark each contact as PUBLIC so that your service contact can be selected from the public list. If you enter a contact but neglect to mark the contact as PUBLIC, the contact information will not be available to other e-filers; consequently, paper service will be provided and will delay service.
Instructions for adding a service contact to a case:
- For each active case, from your Filer Dashboard, select File into Case and search and locate your case.
- The case summary will be displayed. Select View Service Contacts from the Actions drop-down.
- Select Add from Firm Service Contacts using the Actions adjacent to the party you are representing in the case or add your service contact to the Other Service Contacts section.
- Select the service contact(s) to be added to the case. Click Close.
- Verify that your service contact is in the case. Click Close.
- Click Back to Search and repeat the steps for each open case you have.
See the full instructions here.
If you experiencing difficulty logging in to Odyssey File and Serve, please verify that you are using the most current version of the e-filing webpage URL: maryland.tylertech.cloud/ofsweb
Bookmarks should be updated to prevent login obstacles.
Note: Please contact Tyler Technologies Technical Support if you should have issues with your login or password. 800-297-5377, Monday – Friday (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET)
District Court filers statewide may see Failure to Pay Rent and Failure to Pay Rent – Mobile Home case types as selection options for case initiation in File and Serve.
Baltimore County currently is the only county eligible to e-file Failure to Pay Rent and Failure to Pay Rent – Mobile Home case types by use of a special link that enables the filing.
Unless you are in Baltimore County and using the special application, please do not use these case types when e-filing as the filing will be rejected.
Filers will be notified when failure to pay rent complaints can be e-filed in other Maryland jurisdictions.
Thank you. For questions please contact the JIS Service Desk at 410-260-1114 or at [email protected].
A registered user may file a submission in MDEC only for that registered user, or, if the registered user is an attorney (paralegal, assistant, or other staff member in the attorney’s office), for the attorney's client(s). A registered user may not file a submission in MDEC for any other person or entity.
EXCEPTION: If a person or entity has been certified by both JIS and Tyler Technologies as a Vendor Electronic Filing Service Provider (VEFSP), the VEFSP may file on behalf of another person or entity. For information regarding certification requirements, please visit https://mdcourts.gov/mdec/efilingproviders.
Effective June 6, 2022, the District Court of Baltimore County will begin accepting failure to pay rent filings electronically. The use of electronic filing (e-filing) technology will provide a convenient system of filing for landlords and improved notifications for tenants while allowing the courts to provide more robust data reporting on failure to pay rent cases.
All landlords with property in Baltimore County will be eligible to e-file failure to pay rent documents into the court. Landlords and management companies who typically file a large number of complaints at one time will have the ability to electronically file their documents using certified bulk filing service providers. A list of certified providers is available on the Judiciary's E-filing and Landlord-Tenant webpage.
Initially, Baltimore County will be the only county offering failure to pay rent e-filing for landlords. The remainder of Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) counties will be scheduled to offer the same service after there is an assessment of the Baltimore County pilot project. After the court has had success with the pilot, e-filing will become mandatory in landlord-tenant cases in all MDEC jurisdictions. Currently, MDEC includes all Maryland jurisdictions with the exception of Prince George’s County and Baltimore City.
Additional details and instructions can be found on Judiciary’s E-filing and Landlord-Tenant webpage.
Effective June 6, 2022, the District Court of Baltimore County will begin accepting failure to pay rent filings electronically. The use of electronic filing (e-filing) technology will provide a fast and convenient method of filing complaint documents for landlords while allowing the courts to operate more efficiently.
Initially, Baltimore County will be the only MDEC county offering failure to pay rent e-filing for landlords. The remainder of MDEC counties will be scheduled to offer the same service after there is an assessment of the Baltimore County pilot project. After the court has had success with the pilot, e-filing will become mandatory in Landlord-Tenant cases in all MDEC jurisdictions.
Landlords should use the following forms to e-file complaints:
- Failure to Pay Rent - Landlord's Complaint for Repossession of Rented Property (DC-CV-082).
- Failure to Pay Rent – Mobile Home Park Owner's Complaint for Repossession of Rented Property (DC-CV-082MH).
Forms will be available on June 6, 2022.
Landlords and management companies who typically file a large number of complaints at one time should consider bulk filing. The following providers are currently certified to provide bulk filing services:
- Legal Technologies: 240-361-6166 x102 or [email protected]
- US Legal Pro: 972-807-0689 or [email protected]
A list of certified providers will be available on the judiciary website’s e-filing page and will be updated as additional providers are certified. If you are an e-filing service provider and you would like to participate in the Maryland Judiciary’s Electronic Filing Service Provider Program, visit the Judiciary’s Procurement website and review the Electronic Filing Service Provider - Request for Proposal (RFP) K18-0049-29.
Additional details and instructions coming soon.
References:
MD Code, Real Property, Title 8, 8.101 - 8.812
Information for Landlords and Frequently Asked Questions
Beginning Monday, March 28, 2022, all registered users will be required to respond to a CAPTCHA prompt before searching within the Portal. See more.
E-service is used to electronically serve documents to case parties. Beginning April 1, 2022, and pursuant to Maryland Rule 20-205, the Courts will use e service to communicate notices, orders, writs, and other important filings. See more.
Pre-filed exhibits are secured by the court when filed and may be deemed public if offered in court. Thus, the Notice Regarding Restricted Information form should not be filed with a pre-filed exhibit. Additional information about the Notice Regarding Restricted Information form can found in Rule 20-201.1.
For e-filing assistance, contact the MDEC File and Serve Support team at 410-260-1114 or [email protected].
Please keep the following in mind when filing documents containing restricted information.
This is a reminder that Rule 20-201.1(a) requires you to file a Notice of Restricted Information if your submission contains restricted information, and subsection (c) requires you to file both a redacted and unredacted version of that submission. In addition, you should prominently display across the top of the submissions whether they are the redacted or unredacted version. Restricted information, in general, is information that by law, rule, or court order is not subject to public disclosure.
Due to the importance of protecting legitimately confidential information from public disclosure, the Rules Committee will consider an amendment to Rule 20-201.1(c) that would require the clerk to reject the entire submission if you don’t file a redacted version of the submission when required. The amendment, if approved, is expected to take effect in early 2022.
Meanwhile, please note that failure to file the redacted version when required is a material violation of Rule 20-201.1(c), requiring the clerk to issue a deficiency notice under Rule 20-203(d). The clerks of the courts have been reminded to carefully review submissions that require the Notice and the redacted version to be filed, and to reject the filing or issue a deficiency notice, respectively, for non-compliance
Thank you for your understanding and for helping protect confidential information.
For e-filing assistance, contact the MDEC File and Serve Support team at 410-260-1114 or [email protected].
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) case management system is now operational in Montgomery. The launch of MDEC in a county makes electronic filing mandatory for attorneys representing clients in civil and criminal cases in District Court, Circuit Court, and any appellate filings that commence in that county. See News Release.
Effective July 1, 2021, four new District Court civil filing case types will be available in File and Serve. The new case types are:
Contract – Large Claims Consumer Debt – Assigned - $46.00
Contract – Large Claims Consumer Debt – Original - $46.00
Contract – Small Claims Consumer Debt - Assigned - $34.00
Contract – Small Claims Consumer Debt – Original - $34.00
These case types will not be visible in File and Serve prior to July 1, 2021.
Beginning July, 2021, please choose the correct filing type when filing these types of actions with the court. Your cooperation is appreciated.
- Complying with the Servicemembers Civil Member Relief Act (SCRA) – District Court
- E-Serving State's Attorneys
- E-filing into the Court of Special Appeals – Subsequent filings only
- Notice regarding multiple related citations
- ... and more. Read the full email here.
Pursuant to MD Rule 20-201(e), please file all related pleadings in one envelope. Clerks will be returning filings as deficient if they are filed in separate envelopes. If you are using Odyssey File and Serve, multiple pleadings can be entered in one envelope by using the “Add Another Filing” link at the bottom of the Filings section. Note: Each pleading needs to be saved before the “Add Another Filing” link becomes available for additional filings.
Reference: MD Rule 20-201(e) Multiple Submissions Filed Together. All submissions related to a particular MDEC action that are filed together at one time shall be included in a single electronic folder, sometimes referred to as an envelope.
Announcement – New Vendor Electronic Service Provider, US Legal Pro
Currently, the Maryland Electronic Court (MDEC) vendor, Tyler Technologies, provides an e-filing service, Odyssey File and Serve, to all MDEC filers.
Beginning Friday, January 15, 2021 registered users filing into MDEC counties will have the option to use US Legal Pro as a vendor electronic filing service provider (VEFSP) in addition to Odyssey File & Serve, GreenFiling, InfoTrack, ABC Legal, Click Notices, Maryland CourtFiling and Legal Technologies.
A VEFSP provides an online service for e-filing documents to the courts and their services are available to all attorneys and litigants.
The list of certified VEFSPs in Maryland is expected to grow, and each provider may have different features and different costs. Filers can use more than one provider. MDEC users are under no obligation to use the new VEFSP service and can continue to use the e-filing service presently offered without taking any action.
Please refer to our e-filing provider webpage for details and review our e-filing web page for additional support. If you have any questions, you can email the Maryland Judiciary MDEC team at [email protected].
Electronic audio recordings of court proceedings are available from all District Court locations starting today. Recordings will be sent using secure, cloud-based file sharing and can be accessed on multiple device types. The cost of the recording is $10.00 per case.
To request an audio recording, upload court form DCA-119 and submit it to the appropriate court location. The form has been revised to include an option to request a digital recording. At the bottom of the form, you must specify an email address where the recording should be sent. Requests will be processed in the order in which they are received. Cases heard more than three years ago may not be available.
In File and Serve, select the Transcript or Audio Recording Requested filing code, then select the $10 fee from the drop-down list of Optional Services and Fees.
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) case management system is now operational in Baltimore County. The launch of MDEC in a county makes electronic filing mandatory for attorneys representing clients in civil and criminal cases in District Court, Circuit Court, and any appellate filings that commence in that county. See News Release.
The MDEC launch will mean the start of mandatory e-filing for attorneys filing cases in Baltimore County, as well as appellate filings that commence in those counties.
In order to begin e-filing, you must register with the MDEC system. See more.
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) case management system is now operational in Carroll, Harford, and Howard counties. The launch of MDEC in a county makes electronic filing mandatory for attorneys representing clients in civil and criminal cases in District Court, Circuit Court, and any appellate filings that commence in that county. See News Release.
The MDEC launch will mean the start of mandatory e-filing for attorneys filing cases in the District Court and the Circuit Courts in Harford, Howard, and Carroll counties, as well as appellate filings that commence in those counties.
In order to begin e-filing, you must register with the MDEC system. See more.
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) case management system is now operational in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties. The launch of MDEC in a county makes electronic filing mandatory for attorneys representing clients in civil and criminal cases in District Court, Circuit Court, and any appellate filings that commence in that county. See News Release.
The MDEC launch will mean the start of mandatory e-filing for attorneys filing cases in the District Court and the Circuit Courts in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties, as well as appellate filings that commence in those counties.
In order to begin e-filing, you must register with the MDEC system. See more.
Beginning in October 2017, Allegany, Garrett, Frederick, and Washington counties will become the latest jurisdictions to offer Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC). With the implementation of MDEC on Monday, October 16, 2017, attorneys filing in District and Circuit courts in these jurisdictions, as well as appellate filings originating in these jurisdictions, will be required to file electronically. This applies to all attorneys in Maryland who practice law in Western Maryland.
The launch in Western Maryland follows the successful implementation of electronic filing in Southern Maryland, on the Eastern Shore, and in Anne Arundel County. MDEC is currently operational in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. The Judiciary is on pace to achieve the goal to bring MDEC to every court by 2021.
The MDEC automated case management system provides an efficient, cost-effective way to file cases or access court filings, while improving the management of records. Please note: Paper filings from attorneys are not accepted in courts where MDEC has launched. For a description of circumstances in which a person may be excused from filing electronically, see Rule 20-106(b).
As part of the preparation for MDEC’s launch in Western Maryland, the Judiciary has been holding informational events and also offers online instructions to help attorneys learn about the new system, how to register to use it, and how to e-file.
- More information about MDEC
- Instructions for attorneys and staff on how to register to e-file
- Printable brochure about MDEC and e-filing
The MDEC Policies and Procedures Manual (MDEC v1.18, p. 36) has been updated to clarify that each individual document in an envelope must be a separate submission and each submission must be a separate PDF file. The text of the clarification is as follows:
- "Submission"--a single document contained in a single PDF file within an envelope.
- For a filing, each individual document filed in a case should be a separate submission with its own PDF file. Multiple documents may not be combined in one PDF file. Envelopes are case and filing specific. Multiple submissions filed in the same case at the same time should be contained in the same envelope. Each envelope may only contain submissions related to one case. Envelopes may not be reused for subsequent filings.
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) case management system is now operational in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties. The launch of MDEC in a county makes electronic filing mandatory for attorneys representing clients in civil and criminal cases in District Court, Circuit Court, and any appellate filings that commence in that county. See News Release.
The MDEC launch will mean the start of mandatory e-filing for attorneys filing cases in the District Court and the Circuit Courts in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties, as well as appellate filings that commence in those counties.
In order to begin e-filing, you must register with the MDEC system. See more.
District and Circuit courthouses in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties will be the next jurisdictions to offer Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC), beginning in June 2017. With the implementation of MDEC, attorneys filing in these jurisdictions, as well as appellate filings, are required to be filed electronically. This applies to all attorneys in Maryland who practice law in Southern Maryland.
The launch of MDEC in Southern Maryland follows the successful implementation of electronic filing on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Anne Arundel County. The statewide roll out of MDEC will continue through 2021.
The MDEC automated case management system provides an efficient, cost-effective way to file cases or access court filings, while improving the management of records. Please note: Paper filings from attorneys are not accepted in courts where MDEC has launched. For a description of circumstances in which a person may be excused from filing electronically, see Rule 20-106(b).
In the Circuit Courts for Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties (First Judicial Circuit of Maryland)
Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) launched on the Lower Eastern Shore on December 12, 2016. Mandatory electronic filing, or e-filing, now is in effect for attorneys filing in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties, as well as appellate filings that began in those counties. This applies to all attorneys in Maryland who practice in these counties.
All nine Eastern Shore counties and Anne Arundel County now are operating under MDEC. (MDEC launched in October 2014 in Anne Arundel County and in July 2016 on the Upper Eastern Shore, which includes Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties.)
The MDEC automated case management system provides an efficient, cost-effective way to file cases or access court filings, while improving the management of records. Please note: Paper filings from attorneys are not accepted in courts where MDEC has launched. For a description of circumstances in which a person may be excused from filing electronically, see Rule 20-106(b).
The next MDEC rollout will be in Southern Maryland. That launch, which includes Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties, is scheduled for June 12, 2017.
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) case management system will expand to the Lower Eastern Shore on December 12. The MDEC launch will mean the start of mandatory e-filing for attorneys filing cases in the District Court and the Circuit Courts in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties, as well as appellate filings that commence in those counties.
In order to begin e-filing, you must register with the MDEC system. See more. Please note that if you are already registered to efile you do not need to register again.
Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) has expanded to the Upper Eastern Shore. The automated case management system provides an efficient and cost-effective way to receive filings while improving the management of records. Attorneys have been filing electronically, or “e-filing,” since October 2014, when MDEC launched in Anne Arundel County. Now, mandatory e-filing also is in effect for attorneys filing in Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties, as well as appellate filings that commence in those counties. This applies to all attorneys in Maryland who practice in the aforementioned counties. MDEC also provides attorneys with easy and inexpensive access to court filings.
This completes another phase of the statewide electronic courts rollout. The courts listed above will no longer accept paper filings from attorneys. However, Rule 20-106(b) sets out the circumstances in which a person required to file electronically may be excused from doing so.
MDEC will expand to the Upper Eastern Shore on July 18, which will mean the start of mandatory e-filing for attorneys filing cases in Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties, as well as appellate filings that commence in those counties.
This includes the District Court of Maryland, and the Circuit Courts. This applies to all attorneys in Maryland who practice in these counties. Attorneys can register for e-filing by attending one of the Judiciary’s Registration Fairs to be held at various locations in the Upper Eastern Shore counties, May 16-20, 2016. During that week, Judiciary staff members will be stationed at the designated locations, prepared to assist attorneys with registration for e-filing, as well as answer any questions related to MDEC.
Are you ready to e-file in the Upper Eastern Shore counties?
- Review the statewide MDEC Policies and Procedures Manual (H5) and the user guides (located on the Maryland Odyssey File and Serve site) for an overview of the processes, technical requirements and preparations for e-filing.
- General questions: Email [email protected]
- E-filing questions and technical issues: Go to Tyler Technologies Support on the Maryland Odyssey File and Serve site.
MDEC E-Filing Registration Fair
Monday, May 16 - Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court
Tuesday, May 17 - Talbot County Circuit Court
Wednesday, May 18 - Caroline County Circuit Court
Thursday, May 19 - Kent County Circuit Court
Friday, May 20 - Cecil County Circuit Court
9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. at each of the above locations
Starting April 4, registered attorneys using the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) e-filing feature will see an entirely new look for the software interface. The facelift allows MDEC to transition to an upgraded Odyssey File and Serve feature known as the H5. H5 works seamlessly on all mobile devices (Android or Apple) and supports all browsers — Internet Explorer 10 and 11, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Read more.
E-filing is expanding in 2016 for all attorneys who file cases in the District and Circuit courts in Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties, as well as appellate filings that commence in those counties. In order to utilize e-filing and other new system features, attorneys will need basic training on how to access the system and how to file their documents electronically. See more about MDEC and e-filing on this site.
Rule 20-106(d)(5) provides that the State Court Administrator must notify the public regarding destruction of paper filings that have been scanned into the MDEC system. See Notice.
Effective Monday, August 3, 2015, mandatory e-filing for criminal and traffic pleadings began for all attorneys in Maryland who are filing in Anne Arundel County. This includes District Court, Circuit Court, and appellate filings at the Court of Special Appeals and the Court of Appeals that originated in Anne Arundel County. These courts no longer will accept paper filings from attorneys in Anne Arundel County cases. (Mandatory e-filing by attorneys in non-criminal pleadings in Anne Arundel County has been in effect since October 14, 2014.)
NOTE: Nonpayment of rent cases are exempt from electronic filing until further notice. For more information, see the alert.
To help attorneys and their support staff get ready, the Maryland Judiciary hosted criminal e-filing preview sessions the first week of June 2015. Topics included the e-filing portal, the new MDEC secure portal, victim and witness entry application, and the secure Case Search functionalities. Approximately 280 attorneys and support staff from the Office of the State’s Attorney, Office of the Public Defender and private firms took part in the event. To help you prepare, the Judiciary offers webinars and tutorials on e-filing.
Lessons and Life After the Launch: A Q&A with MDEC Leaders and Users
MDEC launched in Anne Arundel County on October 14. That date marked the beginning of mandatory e-filing for attorneys filing in Anne Arundel County (non-criminal pleadings). This includes the District and Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County as well as any appellate proceedings arising from an Anne Arundel County case on or after October 14, 2014. The courts accepted paper filings during the first four weeks of the rollout in Anne Arundel County. However, after close of business on November 14, attorneys must file electronically or their filings will not be accepted.
As this transition period comes to a close, we asked Anne Arundel County judges and leaders active with the implementation of MDEC to reflect on the launch and how they are working to make the case management system better for the rollout of MDEC in the next jurisdiction. We also asked local attorneys now using the case management and e-filing system how it is working on their end.
The responses in this Q&A are from: Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Administrative Judge Paul A. Hackner; Robert Duckworth, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County; Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Administrator Doug Hofstedt; Anne Arundel County District Court Administrative Clerk Tamera Chester; Joan Nairn, MDEC Project Manager; Carla Jones, Manager of Court Operations; and attorneys Susan Stobbart Shapiro, a director of Council, Baradel, Kosmerl & Nolan, P.A., and Jonathan P. Kagan, a partner with Baldwin, Kagan & Gormley, LLC.
It has been more than a week since MDEC launched in Anne Arundel County on Tuesday, October 14. Since then, many Judiciary employees and court employees have been working and making adjustments to Odyssey, the new case management system, to ensure the implementation continues to run smoothly in each Anne Arundel County court.
“With any pilot launch we always anticipate some glitches,” said Rick Parker, Enterprise Architect in Judicial Information Systems (JIS). “The good news is that we do not have to do any interoperability design changes, and this is thanks in large part to the intense preparation leading up to the rollout.” This means the response team can address flow of data and other issues that were anticipated.
The fixes within Odyssey included changing the instructions for uploading e-filing attachments. During the initial pilot stage, attorneys were able to upload one attachment into the system for e-filings. However, it was realized that the system will not generate multiple notices. Therefore, an attorney e-filing in a court in Anne Arundel County must now file complaints and motions separately.
As the pilot rolls out the next phases of implementation, the MDEC team will continue to make the changes needed for a successful statewide system.
This Tuesday marks the launch of MDEC in Anne Arundel County: District Court, Circuit Court, Court of Special Appeals and Court of Appeals. This will be an exciting day. For the first time, attorneys will be able to file electronically and follow their civil cases through the system at all four levels of Maryland’s courts -- making Maryland the first state to use the case management system in the appellate courts.
In anticipation of go-live day, an email reminder was sent to all attorneys across Maryland. Attorneys practicing in Anne Arundel County must have their Client Protection Fund number and be registered to e-file. The courts will accept paper filings during the first four weeks of the rollout in Anne Arundel County. However, they must file electronically starting November 14 or their filings will be turned away.
The most recent instructions can be found on the e-filing information page.
The Anne Arundel County MDEC pilot launch countdown has begun. The roll-out of the pilot is just over a week away. In preparation for the launch date, an MDEC brochure is now available and can be distributed to the public. This brochure provides further information on MDEC and e-filing, how they work, and how to use the new case management system. Copies of the brochure will be available in each courthouse in Anne Arundel County and can be downloaded online.
Are you ready for Oct. 14? Brush up on your MDEC and e-filing knowledge by reading the new brochure. Also become familiar with the re-organized e-filing information page. Attorneys who may call your office for help can also be directed to these resources.
Download the brochure.
Read the e-filing information page.
As part of the MDEC effort, Maryland’s courtrooms will be evolving to become “paperless.” The Maryland District Court for Glen Burnie has been testing a new audio-visual solution that will allow a courtroom to operate in a paperless environment. This video is an introduction to the audio-visual solution that documents the project as it is installed in the pilot courtroom.
In this 10-minute video we hear about the system from Ann Looker, project implementation manager for Judicial Information Systems (JIS), and we learn how the audio-visual solution is installed from Walter Hill, president of Maryland Sound and Image.
Watch the video here.
Once the rollout of the Anne Arundel County MDEC pilot goes live on Oct. 14, all attorneys will be required to e-file with the Odyssey File and Serve program, and electronic processing and management of court records will be used by the clerks and other judicial personnel. When additional counties are added, the MDEC system will apply to all new actions and proceedings, new filings in existing actions pending in those courts on the applicable date, and all appellate proceedings seeking a review of a judgment or order entered in any affected action.
Now is the time to become familiar with the requirements and procedure for e-filing regardless of your jurisdiction. Volume one of the MDEC Policies and Procedures Manual can now be found online for review by all attorneys and court personnel. The manual provides a detailed overview of the requirements, guidelines, and procedures for using MDEC and specifically e-filing. Procedures will continue to be updated in future volumes.
Monday, Sept. 15, marks the start of registration for mandatory e-filing in Anne Arundel County. It is also the day that attorneys can begin to sign up for e-filing webinars. The registration portal and information for e-filing and e-filing webinars can also be found here.
Getting Technical Questions from Attorneys? Help is Available Online
Last week attorneys were directed to create their attorney information for MDEC in order to be ready to register for e-filing. As they have been creating their attorney information for MDEC, some attorneys are asking for assistance with technical questions and browser compatibility issues.
A new online technical issues page has been set up to guide users through the process. The page includes step-by-step instructions to change compatibility view settings as well as instructions for other issues that may arise within the application.
You can direct all technical questions to the technical issues page.
Yesterday, Sept. 4, an email was sent to all Maryland attorneys statewide that included important information and deadlines for attorneys preparing for e-filing. The email advised attorneys to create their attorney information for MDEC by Sept. 26. This deadline is important to note for all attorneys filing in Anne Arundel County because e-filing will be mandatory in Anne Arundel County when MDEC launches on Oct. 14. The creation of their attorney information will allow the Judiciary to link their Client Protection Fund/Maryland attorney number with their District Court and Circuit Court numbers, thus allowing them to have remote access to cases that have been filed in jurisdictions where MDEC has launched.
You may be getting a number of questions from attorneys about this email. You can inform yourself and help answer questions by reading the email here.
You can also direct attorneys to email their questions to [email protected].
The Anne Arundel County rollout of MDEC is scheduled for Oct. 14. This week, as Anne Arundel County continues to train and prepare for the implementation of e-filing, let’s take a look at how a new case management system has worked in another state.
This featured Nevada case study cites improvements in serving the citizens of Clark County, lessons learned through the implementation of the new Clark County customized version of the Odyssey case management system, and accounts from judges using the system.
Read the case study here.
E-filing presentation in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court
Attorneys and law professionals across the state must get ready for the start of mandatory e-filing in Anne Arundel County. Starting this fall, any attorney who files a case in Anne Arundel County will be required to e-file. This includes attorneys from other jurisdictions who are filing in Anne Arundel County. Also important to note: Attorneys who e-file need to register to do so.
A new online tutorial is now available on the Judiciary’s website to help attorneys as they prepare for e-filing. The online tutorial has step-by-step instructions on how to register to e-file, how to find his/her attorney/Client Protection Fund number, and how to initiate a new case.
Are you getting questions from attorneys and the public about e-filing?
The online tutorial may help you answer some of those questions. You can also direct people to the video at: www.mdcourts.gov/mdec/video/efilingtutorial.mp4
Whenever MDEC is mentioned, you also hear “Tyler Technologies.”
Did you know?
MDEC utilizes Tyler’s proven case management system solution, Odyssey, which is deployed in more than 500 counties in 20 states, serving more than 75 million residents.
Here is a little more information about the company that has created Odyssey, the case management system that MDEC relies on: www.mdcourts.gov/mdec/updates/20140808learningabouttylertechnologies.pdf
Monday, Aug. 4, marks the beginning of e-filing educational sessions lead by Tara Glover, MDEC e-filing project manager for the Judiciary. The first group to participate in the sessions is the Anne Arundel County Bar Association, which has invited the Judiciary to explain MDEC and e-filing for its members in August.
Handouts for the sessions have been created to help explain the benefits of e-filing and answer frequently asked questions.
Common questions include:
-How long after e-filing does electronic service take place?
-Will the courts still be able to reject filings?
-What is an EFSP?
-How will we safeguard and provide security measures for the system?
Find out the answers to these questions and more from the links below.
Read the FAQs here: http://mdcourts.gov/mdec/pdfs/mdecefilingattyfaqs.pdf
Learn more about e-filing from the new fact sheet here: http://mdcourts.gov/mdec/pdfs/efilingfactsheet.pdf
Walk-through sessions are helping clerks get hands-on experience with the MDEC system. This summer, clerks have been honing the skills they will use when MDEC launches in Anne Arundel County this fall.
In this video, Anne Arundel County District Court Civil Division Chief Sheryl Hines, Anne Arundel County District Court Civil Division Supervisor Shirley Anthony, and District Court Headquarters Operations Administrator Rose Day talk about getting ready for MDEC, why it’s important, and how they are coping with the changes a new system brings.
View the video here: www.mdcourts.gov/mdec/updates/20140725mdecwalkthroughhd.mp4
Read the transcript here: www.mdcourts.gov/mdec/updates/20140725mdecvideotranscript.pdf
MDEC business process walk-through sessions have begun. These walk-through sessions allow clerks from Anne Arundel County Circuit and District courts to enter real cases into MDEC.
In the following video, we hear from Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Assistant Chief Deputy Clerk Lisa Preston, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Trust Clerk Debbie Green and business analyst for JIS, Mahender Bhandari, as they explain why these walk-through sessions are critical for the upcoming implementation of the MDEC pilot launch.
View the video here: www.mdcourts.gov/mdec/updates/20140718mdecwalkthroughhd.mp4
Read the transcript here: www.mdcourts.gov/mdec/updates/20140718mdecvideotranscript.pdf
Attorneys and law professionals can now sign up for educational sessions to help them get ready for e-filing, the electronic filing of court cases, papers and documents. E-filing will be available in Anne Arundel County when the county becomes the first jurisdiction to launch MDEC.
“This is a great time for attorneys to become more familiar with MDEC and e-filing because, starting in mid-September, they will be able to register to e-file and thus be ready for Anne Arundel County’s launch of MDEC this fall,” said Tara Glover, MDEC e-filing project manager for the Judiciary. Tara is responsible for the scheduling of presentations to law firms and bar associations.
Learn more about how to schedule and e-file on the new e-filing webpage.
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) initiative reached another significant milestone with the introduction of the MDEC system business process walk-through sessions.These new sessions mark the end of business process sprints and begin the hands on walk-through and validation activities. Learn more about the sessions.
(L to R) Karuna Biswas, Carolyn Fleary,
Marquita Spriggs, and Anoh Brou
Before MDEC goes live in Anne Arundel County, testing of MDEC system components will be done by quality assurance teams at JIS in conjunction with end users. The teams will verify that all MDEC system components meet the functional and performance expectations of the Judiciary. Learn more about the testing.
Like many of the people featured in prior weeks of MDEC News, Clerk of the Court of Special Appeals Greg Hilton has been involved with the MDEC project for years. Recently he sat down to answer some questions about how MDEC and the pilot implementation process will affect the Court of Special Appeals.Greg Hilton explains more here.
Judges recalled to the bench are uniquely positioned to take an active role in addressing some of the challenges courts will face as the Judiciary makes the transition from a paper to an electronic environment. Retired Judge Nancy B. Shuger explains more here.
Anne Arundel County District Court Administrative Clerk Tami Chester has been deeply involved in the MDEC preparation and implementation process. In the following video, we hear from Tami Chester as she reflects on the changes MDEC will bring and how Anne Arundel County District Court is getting ready for these changes. Click on the image to watch the latest video. A transcript of the video is also available.
As preparations continue for the Anne Arundel County launch of the MDEC pilot, judges and staff alike have been taking part in lengthy preparations for the new case management system. Judge Paul A. Hackner, Administrative Judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit (Anne Arundel, Carroll, and Howard counties) has been deeply involved in the MDEC implementation process and, in addition, is a member of the Executive Steering Committee and has taken part in MDEC design sessions. In the following article, Judge Hackner offers his unique perspective on the process. Click on the image to read the latest article.
Maryland Electronic Courts, MDEC, will launch in Anne Arundel County in the fall of 2014. This pilot will be the first, crucial step in the statewide implementation. One person who has been deeply involved in preparing for the launch is Clerk of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County Robert Duckworth. He sat down recently to answer questions about MDEC and its launch in the following video teaser. Stay tuned for the full-length interview, also featuring Assistant Chief Deputy Clerk Lisa Preston, in our upcoming issue of Justice Matters. Click on the image to watch the latest video.
MDEC Video "Anne Arundel County Gets Ready to Launch Video (Teaser)" (mp4) 0:30
Judiciary employees and Maryland attorneys have been hearing about an integrated statewide case management system project for years. In the following podcast, we feature information from the MDEC Advisory Committee meeting on Monday April 14, and talk about the real history of the project, starting from the beginning, in 2009. Click on the image to listen to the following podcast.
- MDEC Podcast "An Historical Perspective" (mp4) duration 6:15
- Implementation Timeline (pdf)
- An Historical Perspective Podcast Transcript (pdf)
- An Historical Perspective Podcast Transcript (docx)
What is an MDEC sprint? Get a behind-the-scenes look as 20 MDEC pioneers from the front lines of Anne Arundel County District and Circuit Courts, District Court Headquarters and court-related agencies participated in an MDEC business process sprint, which focused on how cases transfer from the District Court to the Circuit Court using the new electronic case management system. Click on the image to watch the latest video.
MDEC will be rolled out county-by-county starting in the fall of 2014. It will take approximately five years to complete. See more frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Watch the latest video on MDEC.
Anne Arundel County is first in line and is getting ready for the pilot roll-out.
Moving Justice Forward
Chief Judge Ben C. Clyburn of the District Court of Maryland has been a leader in developing and preparing to launch Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC). He has served as the chair of the MDEC Advisory Committee since it was created in 2009, and has been a dynamic advocate for the new system. He and Joan Nairn, MDEC Project Manager, have made more than 85 presentations to law enforcement agencies, bar associations, legislators, and other stakeholders to prepare them for MDEC and how it will change the way they interact with the courts. As he prepares to retire May 31, 2014, Chief Judge Clyburn shares his unique insights on MDEC and the future of the courts.
MDEC Newsletter: Moving Justice Forward, Issue 04
In this issue:
- Change Within Change
- MDEC Pilot Go-Live Changes
- Business Process Sprints Update
- New System - Easier Access to Data
- Appellate Courts Climbing to New Heights with MDEC Implementation
MDEC Newsletter: Moving Justice Forward, Issue 03
In this issue:
- How MDEC Will Change the Work of Judges
- MDEC Gets on the Bus
- Talk the Talk - the Specialized Vocabulary of MDEC
- Consistent Court Practices
- Styles of Handling Change
MDEC Newsletter: Moving Justice Forward, Issue 02
In this issue:
- Implementation Schedule
- Pilot will Include all Four Levels of Court
- Addressing the Gaps
- Changes are Also Coming to Our Courthouses
- MDEC Team Members Out in the Courts
- Conversion and Why We Really Need It
- Forms are Being Created for the New System
- Letting Attorneys Know About the Changes in Store
- Court of Appeals Adopts New Rules
MDEC Newsletter: Moving Justice Forward, Issue 01
The implementation of Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) will change the way courts will conduct business in the future. This quarterly bulletin provides information about these changes and the work that lies ahead.
What Do You Want to Know?
Let us know what you want to know about MDEC. Contact us at [email protected] or call the
Office of Communications and Public Affairs, 410-260-1488.