Small Claims Court in Anne Arundel County, Maryland

If the person or business you're suing lives, works, or operates in Anne Arundel County, that's where you'll file your small claims case. The county covers Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Crofton, and surrounding areas — one of Maryland's busiest District Court jurisdictions.

Filing Basics

The process is the same statewide: complete Form DC-CV-001, pay the $44 filing fee, and choose your service method. Anne Arundel County is an MDEC county, so you have the option to e-file through the Odyssey File & Serve portal. But self-represented litigants are exempt from mandatory e-filing under Rule 20-106, so you can file in person at the clerk's office if you prefer.

The District Court of Maryland in Anne Arundel County handles all small claims (money disputes up to $5,000) under the simplified Rule 3-701 procedure — no formal discovery, no jury trial, and relaxed evidence rules.

Venue: Does Your Case Belong Here?

Under CJP § 6-201, you file in the county where the defendant resides, works, or conducts regular business. For tort claims (property damage, car accidents), CJP § 6-202(8) also allows filing where the incident occurred.

If the defendant lives in Baltimore County but the damage happened in Glen Burnie, you may have a choice of venue. Anne Arundel is proper for the location of the incident; Baltimore County is proper for the defendant's residence. Pick whichever is more convenient — but make sure you can demonstrate the venue connection if challenged.

Service of Process

You have three options for serving the defendant:

• Clerk certified mail — $20 per defendant. The clerk mails the summons and complaint by restricted delivery mail. This is the cheapest and most common method.
• Sheriff service — $60 per defendant. The Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office serves the papers in person.
• Private process server — Market rate, typically $50–$100. Useful when the defendant is actively avoiding service.

For businesses, serve the resident agent listed in the SDAT database, not just the business address.

What to Expect at the Hearing

Small claims hearings in Anne Arundel run like they do everywhere in Maryland: brief, informal bench trials with the judge asking questions and both sides presenting their evidence. Bring originals plus two copies of all documents. Plan for a half-day commitment — you may wait while other cases are called first.

If the defendant files a Notice of Intention to Defend on time—within 15 days after in-state service or 60 days if served outside Maryland or through SDAT or the Insurance Commissioner—the court typically reschedules the hearing to give both sides more preparation time.

For the full step-by-step filing process, from demand letter through hearing preparation, the Maryland Small Claims Filing Guide covers every stage with checklists and deadline tracking.

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