Maryland - Disputing Public Records

Criminal Records

Obtaining an Official Record

Background checks in Maryland are handled by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

• Background Checks (see section titled "Individual State Background Check")

Sealing/Expunging Records

In Maryland, expungements must be filed with each agency involved. There is no single inclusive process.

• Basic Expungement Information
• Expungement Brochure (detailed information in English)
• Expungement Brochure (detailed information in Spanish)
• Expungement Brochure (detailed information in Korean)
• Form for Petition for Expungement of Records (English)
• Form for Petition for Expungement of Records (English and Spanish)

Civil Records

Civil records generally include judgments, liens and evictions, as well as other family and small claims cases.

The most efficient way to dispute a civil record in Maryland is to contact the court in which the record was filed.

• List of all District Courts and their contact information

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies can stay on your credit record for as long as 10 years. The most important place these records can affect you is on your credit report. To dispute a bankruptcy record that is inaccurate, contact each of the three major U.S. credit bureaus. Each has a process online for disputing records that appear on your file.

• TransUnion
• Experian
• Equifax

Disputing the actual public record can be much more challenging since the consumer is the one who files for the bankruptcy in the first place. More information can be found on the United States Courts website.

General Contact Information

Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
300 East Joppa Road, Suite 1000
Towson, Maryland 21286
(410) 339-5000 or (877) 379-8636
website

Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts
Maryland Judicial Center
580 Taylor Ave.
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 260-1400
website

U.S. Court Locator

Locate any court in the United States:

• Court Locator Search