Located on Church Circle in the heart of downtown Annapolis, the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County is the third oldest courthouse in the state of Maryland that is still in use, according to records. Construction for a new facility on the premises began in 1994 and was completed in 2000. The original courthouse still remains and serves as the main entrance to the new courthouse.
Located on Rowe Boulevard, the District 7 Court, serving Anne Arundel County, is in close proximity to both the U.S. Naval Academy and the State Department of Natural Resources.
The Distric Court of Maryland was first established in 1971 as the result of an ammendment to the state constitution. It is fully funded by the state. Cases tried in the District Court include landlord-tenant disputes, motor vehicle violations, misdemeanors and, in some instances, felonies.
With Robert M. Bell serving as Chief Judge, the Maryland State Appeals Court has the highest authority of any court in the state. There are six other judges serving in the court alongside the Chief Judge: Judge Sally Adkins, Judge Clayton Greene, Jr., Judge Joseph M. Murphy Junior, Judge Mary Ellen Barbara, Judge Glenn T. Harrell, Jr. and Judge Lynne A. Battaglia. By law the court must hear any cases in which the death penalty is in question.