Frederick County Clerk of Court Records

The Frederick County Clerk of the Circuit Court

Sandra K. Dalton serves as Clerk of the Circuit Court for Frederick County. The Maryland Judiciary directory and the official clerk page both list her, with general information at 301-600-1976. The clerk is a locally elected state official, and the office traces back to 1658, making it one of Maryland's oldest public institutions. It collects revenue that is shared with city, county, and state government.

The office sits in the downtown courthouse at 100 West Patrick Street, open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The contact card below has the main details.

Frederick County Clerk Services

The clerk's work goes well beyond holding court files. The official page lists a broad set of duties, from case records to land recording to civil marriage ceremonies. The office files, processes, and maintains civil, criminal, and juvenile actions, and it records the documents that give public notice of property rights.

• Files and maintains civil, criminal, and juvenile case records.
• Records land deeds, mortgages, plats, and conveyances.
• Administers oaths of office to notaries and county officials.
• Issues business and marriage licenses.
• Performs civil marriage ceremonies.
• Runs the records room and jury-duty administration.

The clerk also supports the Circuit Court docket, which the county posts online for upcoming hearings.

See the Frederick County Circuit Court docket page.

That docket is posted by 4 p.m. the business day before hearings, and the court dockets page explains how to read it.

Frederick County Clerk Phone Directory

The clerk keeps separate lines for each kind of record, which speeds up a call when you know the unit you need. The table lists the public service numbers from the county Circuit Court information page.

Note: Clerk offices cannot take record requests by phone, but staff will answer procedural questions and tell you which counter or unit to use for your specific record.

How to Request a Frederick County Certified Copy

A certified copy is an official copy the clerk verifies for use in legal matters. An uncertified printout from a public search will not work for those purposes. The clerk produces certified copies on request, in person or in writing. The steps below cover the process.

1. Find the case number and parties on Maryland Case Search.
2. Identify the right unit, such as Civil, Criminal, or Land Records.
3. Visit the clerk in person or send a written request to the Records Room.
4. State the case number, the parties, and the documents you need.
5. Pay the certified copy fee set by the Maryland Judiciary schedule.
6. Pick up the copy or have it mailed, depending on the office's process.

Frederick County Clerk Records Request Fields

A clear request helps the clerk find the right file. There is no single statewide form for every record, but a written request should include a set of details. The table lists what to include.

Keep a copy of the request and note the date you sent it, in case you need to follow up.

Land Records and Licenses at the Clerk's Office

The clerk records the documents that prove property rights and issues several licenses. Land deeds, mortgages, and plats are recorded through the Land Record Room, and Maryland posts these on statewide land record and plat systems. The Recording Office, which shares a phone line with marriage licenses, also issues business licenses.

Land records have their own statewide tools. Maryland posts recorded land documents on MdLandRec and survey plats on Plats.net, both fed by Circuit Court clerks across the state. These are notice records, meant to give the public a way to trace ownership, liens, and conveyances. The Frederick Land Record Room handles in-person recording and copies, and it shares the courthouse with the rest of the clerk's units.

Marriage licensing is one of the busiest functions. The clerk issues the license, records it after the ceremony, and provides certified copies on request. For the marriage license steps and copy requests, see the marriage and divorce records page. For estate records, which run through a separate office, see the Register of Wills below.

Frederick County Clerk Fees

Clerk fees follow the Maryland Judiciary fee schedule rather than a single flat rate, and the exact current amounts should be confirmed with the office. Certified copies, plain copies, recording, and licenses each carry their own charge. The table shows where to confirm each one.

Confirm the current amount before you visit, since fees can change and vary by record type.

The Frederick County Register of Wills

Maryland does not split court records between a district clerk and a county clerk the way some states do. The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the main clerk for court files and land records. Estate records are the one big exception. They run through a separate elected office, the Register of Wills, led by the Honorable Mary C. Rolle, at the same courthouse.

So a will or estate question goes to the Register of Wills, not the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The probate records page covers the Register of Wills, EstateSearch, and the Orphans' Court in full. For case files and dockets, the Clerk of the Circuit Court remains the right office. Knowing this split up front saves a wasted trip, since the two elected offices sit in the same building but keep entirely separate records.

Related Frederick County Record Searches

For case files, use Frederick County court records, and for hearing lists use court dockets. The trial courts are covered on the Circuit Court page, estates on the probate records page, and more answers are on the FAQ.