Queen Anne's County Criminal History

Queen Anne's County criminal history records are available through state and local sources on Maryland's Eastern Shore, near the Chesapeake Bay. The county Circuit Court in Centreville holds public case filings, while the CJIS Central Repository is the authorized channel for certified background checks. The Queen Anne's County Sheriff processes public records requests under the Maryland Public Information Act. This page outlines each source, what it contains, and how to request records from the right agency.

Queen Anne's County Circuit Court Records

The Queen Anne's County Circuit Court is at 100 Courthouse Square, Centreville, MD 21617. Phone is 410-758-1773. The clerk's page is at courts.state.md.us/clerks/queenannes. The court handles felonies, serious misdemeanors, and civil cases for the county. Court records here are public by default unless sealed by a judge.

The free Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal lets you search court filings online without a trip to the courthouse. It covers most cases from 1989 forward and shows charges, court dates, and dispositions. Sealed and expunged records are not visible. Copy fees are $0.50 per page for paper documents.

The clerk does not perform criminal history searches or background checks. Staff will direct you to the Maryland State Police or CJIS for that service. For mail document requests, send a written request to the clerk at the address above with a check or money order for copy fees and as much case detail as you can provide.

CJIS Background Checks in Queen Anne's County

Certified criminal history background checks for Queen Anne's County must go through DPSCS and the CJIS Central Repository. This is the only route to an official certified record. The state fee is $18. An FBI check raises the cost to $38 or more. Processing takes 10 to 15 business days. Instructions and Form 015 are at the DPSCS background check page.

Shown below is the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office, the primary local law enforcement agency for this Eastern Shore county.

The Sheriff's Office handles public records requests and law enforcement services for all of Queen Anne's County.

Get fingerprinted on a Form 015 state card before submitting your request. Authorized fingerprint providers serve the Eastern Shore. Check the DPSCS fingerprinting page for a current list. After fingerprinting, mail your card and payment to CJIS-CR, P.O. Box 32708, Pikesville, MD 21282-2708. For overnight delivery: 6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 102, Baltimore, MD 21215. Call 1-888-795-0011 with questions.

Queen Anne's County Sheriff Records Requests

The Queen Anne's County Sheriff is at 505 Railroad Avenue, Centreville, MD 21617. Phone is 410-758-0770. Website is at queenannessheriff.org. Records requests are handled by Officer Coordinator Dawn Becker. Her email is dbecker@qac.org.

You must submit a written Public Information Act request form. Send it by mail to 505 Railroad Avenue, Centreville, MD 21617, or email it to dbecker@qac.org. Incident report copies cost $10 each. Body camera or video evidence costs $75 per incident per device for recordings under one hour. Pay by check or money order. The Maryland PIA allows up to 30 days for processing.

The clerk's office does not perform criminal record or background checks and will direct you to the Maryland State Police or CJIS for that service. The Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement incident records, not certified criminal history reports.

What Queen Anne's County Criminal Records Contain

A CJIS criminal history record is statewide. It is not limited to what happened in Queen Anne's County. If a person was arrested in Centreville and later prosecuted elsewhere, both records may appear. The report covers charges, dispositions, and sentencing information. Arrests without convictions may also appear, depending on the nature and outcome of the case.

Court case filings are a narrower source. They only cover cases filed in the Queen Anne's County courts. Maryland Judiciary Case Search is free and a good first step before requesting paper copies. Case Search data may lag behind recent court activity by a day or two. Expunged records are removed entirely once processing is complete and will not appear in searches.

Expungement in Queen Anne's County

Maryland law allows expungement of certain criminal records. After a petition is granted, the record is removed from court files and from CJIS. Eligible cases include arrests not leading to conviction, dismissals, acquittals, and some completed probation matters. Guilty verdicts are generally not eligible unless specific newer provisions apply.

File the expungement petition at the Circuit Court in Centreville. The filing fee is $30. Free guides are at the People's Law Library and through the Maryland courts clean record page. Each petition is reviewed individually. Approval is not automatic.

Sex Offender Registry and Other Resources

Maryland's Sex Offender Registry covers Queen Anne's County and all Maryland jurisdictions. Search it free at dpscs.maryland.gov. No login or payment is required. The database shows names, addresses, and offense descriptions for registered offenders. It is maintained by DPSCS and updated on a regular basis.

For statewide questions, start at dpscs.maryland.gov. The Maryland State Police at mdsp.maryland.gov handles certain records matters and can point you to the right unit. General legal help for court records is available at courts.state.md.us.

Cities in Queen Anne's County

No cities in Queen Anne's County meet the population threshold for individual pages on this site.

Communities in the county include Centreville, Stevensville, Chester, Grasonville, and Queenstown. All are served by the Circuit Court and Sheriff in Centreville.

Nearby Counties

Queen Anne's County borders Kent, Caroline, Talbot, and Anne Arundel counties on the Eastern Shore. Records from those areas may be relevant when a person has ties to more than one county.