Access All Frederick County Public Records for Free

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Free Frederick County Public Records Search

Access Frederick County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

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Whether you need to conduct a background check yourself or request official records, this article aims to simplify the process of accessing Frederick County public records efficiently, while navigating the right custodians.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Maryland FOIA mandates that government agencies make relevant public information available and accessible by the public. Agencies within the Frederick County allow access to information regarding marriages, divorces, warrants, arrests, criminal cases, court proceedings, incarceration records and probation details.

This article provides guidance and methods of obtaining public records in the county, including online tools and contact information of the relevant agencies.

How To Run a Frederick County Arrest Record Search

If the search confirms that the inmate is being held at the Frederick County Detention Center, the sheriff’s office does not provide any information online about anyone held at the Adult Detention Center.¹

Those seeking information will need to contact the detention center in person or via phone. This is the full information to contact them:

Frederick County Adult Detention Center
7300 Marcie’s Choice Ln
Frederick, MD 21704

Phone: (301)-600-2550

Since there aren’t jail records online, for more detailed information about a recent arrest report or inmate information, reaching out to the law enforcement agency that made the arrest can be helpful.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the area. Although their website does not offer a whole lot of information, you can contact them by phone through their 24-hour main line at (301)-600-1046.² You can also visit them in person at the following address for details on Frederick County bookings:

Frederick County Sheriff’s Office
110 Airport Drive East
Frederick, MD 21701

Access Arrest Details via Frederick County Police Departments

When searching for arrest information, keep in mind law enforcement agencies can take up to 24 hours to update their systems and delay the discovery. Also, full police reports can be obtained only after the investigation is finished (and there’s usually a fee to obtain a full copy when it is available).

Still, in general, contacting the local police department that performed an arrest or responded to an incident can be particularly helpful in many situations. For example, when a full detailed report is needed for insurance purposes or if it’s necessary to make a formal complaint. Also, this is the way to go when the county hasn’t yet been updated, but the details are needed urgently.

For Frederick County arrest records, it may be helpful to talk to the city (municipal) law enforcement agencies. Although the county has twelve municipalities, not all have their own police departments. Some cities or towns simply contract with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

For those cities that do have police departments, when there’s reason to believe that a certain inmate’s arrest may be connected to a specific location, the smart choice is to reach out to them directly. Below, you’ll find contact information for all Frederick County Police Departments:

District Station	Address	Phone Number
Brunswick Police	20 East A St Brunswick, MD 21716	301-834-7500
Frederick Police	100 W Patrick St Frederick, MD 21701	301-600-2101
Mount Airy Police	205 Center St – Suite 203 Mount Airy, MD 21771	410-386-2860
Thurmont Police	800 East Main St. Thurmont, MD 21788	310-600-2071
Walkersville Law Enforcement	21 W. Frederick St Walkersville, MD 21793	301-600-4151

The Mount Airy Police Department is the only one of those that keeps an accessible online log of recent arrests and warrants.³ For all others, calling or stopping in will probably yield better search results.

When performing a Frederick County public records search by reaching out to the local law enforcement agencies, always have as much information as possible at hand. Knowing the type of case or where it took place, among other things, may facilitate obtaining the most complete and accurate information.

Look Up Arrestees Awaiting Trial in Frederick County & All of Maryland

There are many ways someone can find inmates and court case information in Frederick County. Although Frederick County does not offer an online path to find inmates who are being held in its Adult Detention Center, this information is available in other ways.

The simplest way to start your search is to use the Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services Inmate locator.⁴ This is a simple free search engine that gives the public a window into Maryland public records. It allows any citizen to execute a search into who is currently an inmate in the state.

All it requires is that the first and last name of a person is typed into the fields, so the citizen searching can find out if someone is in jail.

If the name pops up, click on it. That will lead to a page with information about where that person is being held – including a phone number and an address.

This search will lead to information about a larger group of people since it includes state prisons and detention facilities. It will include, at the same place, those individuals serving time and those waiting for trial – which is a good thing, because any interested citizen will have plenty of information.

However, it may be necessary to narrow the search or continue further in order to get a full picture, when that is the case.

The Maryland Inmate Locator won’t provide information about why the person was arrested and for how long. It won’t be helpful to find someone’s mugshot either, but it’s still a good starting point.

Determine if Someone Has a History of Crime in Frederick County Maryland

While arrest records and police reports provide information on recent arrests, criminal records dating back several years and originating in Frederick County or throughout Maryland can be found through several local and state agencies.

There are many reasons why someone’s past information may be relevant. Searching Frederick County criminal records is important to determine, for example, if an individual ever had criminal charges filed against them. It also helps discover who is on probation or has Frederick County warrants against them, as well as who’s a registered sex offender.

For anyone you’d like to look into further, it is possible to search various criminal record custodians or agencies to find the desired information. As long as you know the person’s first and last name, checking with the agencies outlined below will provide details on prior offenses and convictions.

Find Out if Someone Has a Criminal History via the Frederick County Clerk’s Office

Public criminal records and general judicial records can be found at the Clerk’s Office at the Frederick County Circuit Court .⁶ The Circuit Court is organized as follows:

• Frederick District Court
• Frederick Circuit Court
• Frederick Circuit Court Law Library
• Frederick Orphans’ Court
• Appellate Court

Each Court deals with different cases. Once it is known in which court a specific case was heard, there’s always the possibility of reaching out to them directly for information, records, and even a court date.

When uncertain, the Circuit Court for Frederick County offers a list of useful telephone numbers to assist in the search for information:

Frederick County Circuit Court Phone Numbers
Civil Cases	301-600-2969
Criminal Cases	301-600-1932
Family & Child Support	301-600-1977
Jury Duty	301-600-1979
Juvenile Cases	301-600-1968
Land Recording & Licensing	301-600-1965
Records Room	301-600-1957

It is recommended that, when searching for the criminal history of an individual, you reach out to the criminal cases line or the records room. However, if it’s preferred or necessary to visit the court in person, the correct address is:

Circuit Court — Frederick County
Clerk’s Office
100 W Patrick St
Frederick, MD 21701

When reaching out to the Clerk’s Office, citizens should have as much information as possible at hand: full name, case number, and anything that could help uncover the information that’s needed.

Also, it is important to remember that certain cases are protected or sealed and other records may only be available to authorized individuals.

Perform a Frederick County Maryland Court Case Lookup

There are two ways someone can look up court cases in Frederick County. To do it online, citizens must turn to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Engine and search for the name of any individual.

This system provides information about all court cases (not only criminal) and it is important to approach the search with as many details as possible, so the performed search can deliver the most accurate possible results.

If the preference is to search in person, anyone can visit the courthouse and ask to see records. Frederick County has 5 different courts, but all of them are located at the same address.⁷ It is possible to visit the District Court, the Circuit Court, the Court Law Library, the Orphan’s Court, and the Appellate Court at the following address:

Frederick County Courthouse
100 W. Patrick St.
Frederick, MD 21701

Phone: (301)-600-2570

Discover Who Has a Criminal Record via Maryland’s Judiciary Online Case Information System

There are many reasons to look up if someone has a criminal record in Maryland.

To check Frederick County public records, Maryland’s Judiciary’s Online Case Information System is a very helpful search tool.⁸ It allows citizens to search any court case that took place in the past 10 years, providing a summary of that case’s outcome.

This is a statewide online directory, though. As it is not constrained to Frederick County only, the system will give you broader information.

Note that to search a specific case in Frederick County judicial records, you must have the case number. That option is towards the bottom of the screen and reads “Search By Case Number”.

If the case number is unknown, the search has to be done statewide. There’s a choice to look up by the individual’s name or a company name. If part of the name is missing (such as the middle name, for instance), the system will still give you results – although likely more results than anticipated. In any case, it’s a convenient way to do a free criminal record check.

Often, information found on the Online Case Information System is insufficient, since it will only show a summary of the case and not all the details. However, the system will tell you what agency handled that case, making it possible to contact them directly.

Conduct a Warrant Search in Frederick County MD

There are different types of warrants, and many can be found by looking in the right places or checking with the right agencies. Bench warrants are issued after an individual fails to show up to a court proceeding.

Arrest warrants for criminal cases, on the other hand, may not be readily available to the public. As a general rule, they aren’t public until the individual is formally charged with a crime.

An individual must rely on the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Tool for a Frederick County case search, including warrant information. As mentioned before, this search tool is very broad and shows results for the whole state of Maryland. On the other hand, however, it shows all sorts of cases (unless you limit your search to only criminal cases, for example) which allows for a comprehensive search.

All a citizen must do to use this system is to accept the terms of use, as seen in the image above, and insert the full name of the person that could potentially have a warrant against them.

If the name appears, it is possible to click on the case number and look up all the details available. If a warrant is issued against them, it should appear among the details. However, if more information is needed, it may be necessary to reach out to the Frederick County court records directly.

It is important to keep in mind that if someone has a warrant against them, calling or going in person to the court to ask might lead to their arrest. If the search is not for a third party, the individual should work with a lawyer to find information about any outstanding warrants and the options available to deal with them.

If someone is looking for information about a third party, calling the court directly or visiting the courts is a valid option. In some places, the courts have terminals connected to the local database that can be very helpful in free public records search for information.

The Mount Airy Police Department has an online tool to find all outstanding arrest warrants in the city.⁹ To look it up, citizens can visit the Police Department’s website, click on “Crime” and choose the last option, “Warrants”. It will lead you to the most current information for that particular location.

If the online search cannot find the information you need, you can also consider reaching the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office and the Clerk’s Office. These agencies can assist you in searching for records. Be prepared to provide the individual’s full name and date of birth.

How To Perform a Probation Search in Frederick County

Probation can be managed on many levels within a state. For Frederick County, there are several ways to find out if an individual is on probation.

The Maryland Judiciary provides an Online Case Search Tool that covers criminal cases in the state, including Frederick County. This search tool may not explicitly state probation status, however, checking individuals criminal records can able to know whether someone is on probation.

Another option is through the Frederick Field Office/DMPP, the office manages all probation and parole for the county.¹⁰ They are not available online, but can be found at the following address:

Frederick Field Office/DMPP
100 W Patrick St
Frederick, MD 21701

Phone: 301-600-1935 / 301-694-0632

When it is necessary to broaden the search to include other counties, you can reach out to the Division of Parole & Probation. They manage all probate cases, hold information about all individuals currently on probation throughout the state of Maryland, and can point anyone in the right direction.

The Division of Parole & Probation can be reached via email at [email protected], via phone at (410)-585-3500, or at this address:

Division of Parole & Probation
6776 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21215

How To Perform a Background Check in Frederick County MD

Background checks can usually be performed two different ways: using an individual’s full name or that person’s fingerprints.

In Maryland – and, consequently, in Frederick County – using public tools, it is only possible to do fingerprint background checks. Those are known as level 2 background checks, while name-based searches are considered level 1.

A citizen needing to be checked can contact the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Fingerprinting Services Department.¹¹ On the website, it is possible to schedule an appointment (they do not take walk-ins) and also see the fees for each type of request. There’s a button towards the bottom of the page, which leads to a full list of background check types that can be requested.

Another way to get a level 2 background check is to work with the Maryland Department of Public Safety.¹² For those who live in the state, there are five locations where fingerprints can be done, under the division of the Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS), at some Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) offices. Those addresses are:

CJIS MVA
501 W MacPhail Rd
Bel Air, MD

CJIS MVA
1601 Bowman’s Farm Rd
Frederick, MD

CJIS WA
6601 Ritchie Hwy, N.E.
Glen Burnie, DM

CJIS MWA
251 Tilghman Rd
Salisbury, MD

CJIS MWA
11 Industrial Park Dr.
Waldorf, MD

Some DMV locations also offer this type of service, but by appointment only. For the full list of places that can provide fingerprinting, visit the Fingerprinting Services page.¹³

If a background check needs to be run with only the citizen’s name in Frederick County, it is quite likely that the interested party would need a third-party service that could get the job done while bypassing the fingerprinting step that is so common in Maryland.

Also, keep in mind that background checks can typically be conducted by anyone, and for any reason. The exception is when the background check will be used to make a decision, such as an employer or landlord would do. In those cases, the individual being checked has certain rights (delved into further in this resource) and must provide consent beforehand.

Search Maryland Criminal Records Using State & Federal Resources

Maryland has a very helpful public records repository to help interested citizens look up someone’s criminal record. Searchers can go to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Engine and look up any name.

As one can imagine, the more information goes into the search, the more specific the results will be. However, a partial name will still yield results, even for topics outside of the criminal court.

When looking specifically for sex offenders, Maryland offers a quite detailed public index that includes pictures of the offenders. Anyone can access Maryland’s Comprehensive Registered Sex Offender Website and follow the steps below:¹⁴

• Read and click on the disclaimer, then select “search the registry”
• Close the pop-up window (it will redirect the viewer automatically)
• Click on the button “click here to search for offenders in your area”
• Choose how the search will be performed: by someone’s address, full name, city, etc.

Interested parties can also use the broader National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) to find convicted and registered sex offenders throughout the entire U.S., either by name or location.

Maryland’s Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services does not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained on the website, since some of it is provided by the offender. Nevertheless, this is a good source of information.

Lastly, state prisoners can be found through Maryland’s Department of Corrections Inmate Lookup Tool and federal prisoners can be found via the Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator.

How To Obtain Frederick County Maryland Vital Records: Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death Records

Vital records include (among other things) birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. In Maryland, where Frederick County is located, all vital records are kept at the Vital Statistics Administration, under the Maryland Department of Health.¹⁶

For privacy reasons, not all records are readily available to the public through this website. For a birth certificate, for example, only the individual, their parents or spouse (if the individual is deceased), or a person appointed by the court can have access to it. For a death certificate, the list is even more strict. The same goes for Frederick County marriage records and divorce certificates.

If the person requesting those documents falls into one of the allowed categories, a certificate of birth or a certificate of death can be obtained in person or online. For interested parties that prefer to go in person, it is necessary to schedule an appointment at the Vital Statistics Administration website.¹⁷

All it takes is clicking on the button “Book an Appointment” and adding some information, such as name and cell phone number.

Acquire Divorce & Marriage Records in Frederick County via the Circuit Clerk or Maryland State Archives

Marriage certificates are considered Frederick County public records and can be obtained at the Clerk’s office in the Circuit Court.

Requests can be submitted in person or via mail and costs $0.50 for plain copies or $5.50 for certified copies. This is the address where a citizen can visit or send a request:

Frederick County Clerk of the Circuit Court
Attn: Records Department
100 W Patrick St.
Frederick, MD 21701

Phone: (301)-600-1957

Alternatively, the Online Marriage License Request Form can be completed and submitted electronically.

The Maryland State Archives can be helpful if someone is searching for older marriage records and helping interested parties find out if someone is married. For example, the archives have certificates available from 1600 to 2013. Those can be found in two ways, and both of them check if someone is married:

• If the individual is willing to put in some effort, they can go through the public indexes available on the Maryland State Archives Reference & Research website.¹⁸ This option is good when there’s no need for an actual certificate and simply finding a name would suffice.
• If a certificate is needed, the Maryland State Archives offers a variety of them online.¹⁹ All the interested person needs to do is place an order online. Usually, when a record is not found, the citizen will receive a notice that an attempt to find it was made, and no refunds are given.

The Maryland Archives also has clear instructions about how to find Frederick County divorce records.²⁰ If the search is for divorces that occurred after 1980, the website forwards the reader to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search System. You can look a name up and find if they have ever been divorced, as a citizen would search for any other court case within that system.

On the other hand, if the divorce in question happened before 1980, it is necessary to have more information. Preferably, the individual looking for those records would have a case number. But in the absence of that, having the names of the parties involved, the court where the divorce was filed, and the knowledge of when it happened will certainly help.

In this case, after finding the records, it is possible to order a copy of those records for a small fee.

Retrieve Frederick County Birth & Death Records or Certificates via the Maryland Division of Vital Records

Birth and death information can be accessed in several ways. For relatively recent births (those that happened in 1924 and afterward), any searcher could reach out to Frederick County’s Health Department.

Information on how to apply for a certificate of birth or certificate of death can be reviewed prior to ordering these records.

Birth and death certificates cost $10. Those who wish to request them should keep in mind that there might be variations on the price, depending on specific requests, as well as add-on fees (like shipping and such).

Online orders can be placed through VitalChek, which is an authorized third-party that can handle those requests for the state of Maryland.²¹

It’s not possible to order the certificates online from the health department itself, as this must be done through the endorsed third-party service VitalChek, but there’s an address where an interested party can go in person, as well as a phone number:

Frederick County Health Department
350 Montevue Lane
Frederick, MD 21202

Phone: (301)-600-1029

Birth certificates from the Frederick County Health Department cost $20 while death certificates are $18 for the first copy and $20 per additional certificate requested; payments may be made by cash, check, or certain credit cards.

Anyone looking to obtain birth or death certificates should be aware that it’s also possible to do it through the Maryland Division of Vital Records and that only deaths that took place in the last 10 years are available for requests.

Also, the petitioner must be connected to the individual related to those certificates and not everyone can access these records. But for those who are authorized, a copy of the birth and death certificates can be ordered in person, via appointment, or online, with the help of VitalChek.

For births that occurred before 1924, as well as deaths that happened over 10 years ago, it is possible to find information in the Maryland State Archives. If a citizen only needs to find information on how and when those events took place, looking at the indexes may suffice. For those who need a copy of the records, it is possible to place an order on the same website.

Determine Who Owns a Frederick County Property & Look Up Anybody’s Tax Status

To help citizens find information about property in Frederick County, the government offers a self-service platform, where people can check who owns a property and if they are current on property taxes.²² The search process is quite simple.

Any interested party can search by address just by adding the street number and name to the search (omitting only the street type). Searches can also be performed using a parcel ID, when available.

The results will show a line for every year the property has been standing, reflecting the owner for each as well as the tax bill. Residents who choose to see the bill will also be able to assess if it has been paid or if it is still outstanding.

Another way to look up properties is by using the Property Explorer platform.²³ It requires knowing a little about the area so that a search can be performed using street names or subdivisions. This is a good option as it allows for a broader search. However, it won’t yield information about taxes in detail. Depending on the objective of the search, a combination of the two tools is the way to go.

Your Rights & Responsibilities When Accessing Frederick County Public Records

Public information must always be used responsibly. Citizens usually check public records for personal or professional reasons.

Individuals can search public records in Frederick County without any particular reason. They may want to know a colleague or coworker better, or make sure they go into a new relationship with a certain level of safety.

However, it is important to consider a few things. First, everyone should respect people’s privacy and be respectful regardless of what kind of information comes about. In that sense, it’s important not to expose or embarrass others; searchers should always make sure the information found is not used to stalk, harass, or intimidate others.

It is also very important that the information disclosed is not used to determine credit worthiness or make decisions related to employment, housing, or other business affairs. For the information to be used for professional purposes, the individual who was searched would have to have provided prior consent.

On the topic of professional use of public records, it is entirely allowed and legal, but employers, landlords, and others must follow particular guidelines and laws.

When used professionally, a background check needs written permission from the subject beforehand. The individual who is checked knows that they are going through this process, as they have to be notified and give consent. Also, the individual is allowed a copy of the results and can dispute it, if something seems off.

Professional background checks also must abide by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and other laws and agencies. If any rule is not followed, the person who was checked can report it by filing a complaint.

If you think a background check has been done without your consent or that you have been discriminated against due to the content of a background check, you should report it.

If you believe you’ve been discriminated against while being considered for a job, you can file a report with the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), through their website.²⁴ No matter the purpose, Frederick County public records should be used in a responsible manner, and with consideration of privacy, local and federal laws. For other county and state public information, check out the tutorial on searching Maryland state records.