Notice of Appearance - Maryland

NOTICE OF APPEARANCE

Maryland Circuit Court -- Civil Case

1. COURT SELECTION

☐ Circuit Court for [________________________________] County
☐ Circuit Court for Baltimore City

Note: Baltimore City is an independent jurisdiction with its own Circuit Court, separate from Baltimore County. Ensure the correct court is identified.

MDEC Status: ☐ This court is an MDEC court (Maryland Electronic Courts)

Important: As of May 6, 2024, MDEC has been implemented statewide in all Maryland courts. All filings must be made electronically through MDEC (Odyssey File & Serve) unless an exemption applies.

2. CASE CAPTION

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR [________________________________], MARYLAND

[________________________________],
     Plaintiff(s),

v.                                                    Case No. [________________________________]

[________________________________],
     Defendant(s).

3. DOCUMENT TITLE

NOTICE OF APPEARANCE OF COUNSEL FOR [________________________________]

4. PARTY INFORMATION

Party Represented: [________________________________]

Party's Role in This Action:

☐ Plaintiff
☐ Defendant
☐ Third-Party Plaintiff
☐ Third-Party Defendant
☐ Cross-Claimant
☐ Cross-Defendant
☐ Counter-Claimant
☐ Counter-Defendant
☐ Intervenor
☐ Garnishee
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Party's Address:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Party's Telephone: [________________________________]

5. ATTORNEY INFORMATION AND APPEARANCE STATEMENT

Pursuant to Maryland Rule 2-131, the undersigned attorney hereby enters an appearance on behalf of [________________________________] ("Client"), the [☐ Plaintiff / ☐ Defendant / ☐ Other: ____________________] in the above-captioned matter. The undersigned requests that all future pleadings, papers, notices, and orders be served upon the undersigned in accordance with Maryland Rule 1-321.

Attorney Name: [________________________________]

Maryland Attorney ID (Client Protection Fund Number): [________________________________]

Law Firm Name: [________________________________]

Mailing Address:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Street Address (if different):
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Telephone: [________________________________]

Facsimile: [________________________________]

Primary Email: [________________________________]

Secondary Email: [________________________________]

6. TYPE OF APPEARANCE

☐ General Appearance -- The undersigned enters a general appearance in this matter and undertakes full representation of the above-named party in all aspects of this civil action.

☐ Appearance as Co-Counsel -- The undersigned enters this appearance as co-counsel alongside [________________________________], Attorney ID [________________________________], who has previously entered an appearance. The undersigned shall serve as:
☐ Lead Counsel
☐ Associate Counsel
☐ Local Counsel (for pro hac vice attorney)

☐ Substitution of Counsel -- The undersigned enters this appearance as substitute counsel for [________________________________], Attorney ID [________________________________]. The prior attorney's withdrawal:
☐ Has been approved by the Court on [__/__/____]
☐ Is being filed simultaneously herewith
☐ Client's written consent is attached / on file

☐ Limited Appearance -- See Section 8 below.

7. CONSENT TO ELECTRONIC SERVICE VIA MDEC

Pursuant to Maryland Rule 20-106 and Title 20 of the Maryland Rules, the undersigned:

☐ ACCEPTS electronic service through the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) system (Odyssey File & Serve).

MDEC Registered Email Address: [________________________________]

Additional Notification Email (if any): [________________________________]

☐ DOES NOT ACCEPT electronic service and requests service by traditional means under Maryland Rule 1-321.

MDEC Registration

☐ The undersigned is a registered MDEC user.
MDEC User ID: [________________________________]

☐ The undersigned will register for MDEC within [____] days.

☐ The undersigned claims exemption from MDEC e-filing because: [________________________________]

MDEC E-Filing Requirement: Under Maryland Rule 20-106, electronic filing by attorneys is mandatory in all Maryland courts. The filer remains responsible for serving persons entitled to receive service who: (A) are not registered MDEC users, (B) are registered users but have not entered an appearance, or (C) are entitled to receive copies of tangible items in paper form. See Maryland Rule 1-321 for service on such persons.

8. LIMITED APPEARANCE

(Complete this section only if filing a limited appearance)

Pursuant to Maryland Rule 2-131(b) and Maryland Lawyers' Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2, the undersigned enters a limited appearance restricted to the following:

Scope of Limited Representation:

☐ Specific hearing or proceeding: [________________________________]

☐ Specific motion: [________________________________]

☐ Discovery phase only

☐ Trial only

☐ Mediation / settlement conference

☐ Specific issue: [________________________________]

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Detailed Description of Limitation:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Anticipated Duration:

From: [__/__/____] To: [__/__/____]

☐ Through conclusion of the specified proceeding or matter

Client Acknowledgment:

☐ The Client has provided written informed consent to the limited scope of this representation.
☐ A written scope-of-representation agreement is on file with counsel.

Termination of Limited Appearance:

Under Maryland Rule 2-132(a), an attorney who has entered a limited appearance may strike the appearance by filing a notice of withdrawal when the particular proceeding or matter for which the appearance was entered has concluded.

☐ Counsel acknowledges the obligation to file a Notice of Withdrawal upon completion of the limited scope.

Maryland Limited Scope Rules (Effective July 1, 2015): Maryland Rules 1-321, 1-324, 2-131, and 2-132 were amended to permit limited scope representation in civil and family law proceedings. An attorney providing limited representation must clearly define the scope and file a written notice of the limitation with the court.

9. PRO HAC VICE ADMISSION

(Complete this section only if appearance involves an out-of-state attorney)

Pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-217 (Special Admission of Out-of-State Attorneys Pro Hac Vice):

Out-of-State Attorney:

Name: [________________________________]

Bar Admission(s):
| State | Bar Number | Status |
|-------|-----------|--------|
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | ☐ Active ☐ Inactive |
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | ☐ Active ☐ Inactive |

Pro Hac Vice Requirements Checklist:

☐ Petition for Special Admission (Pro Hac Vice) filed with the Court

☐ Certificate of Good Standing from the attorney's home jurisdiction attached

☐ Pro hac vice fee paid (confirm current fee with the Clerk)

☐ Disclosure of prior pro hac vice admissions in Maryland courts included in petition

☐ Affirmation that the attorney is not disbarred, suspended, or subject to pending disciplinary action in any jurisdiction

☐ Order Granting Pro Hac Vice Admission entered on: [__/__/____]

Maryland Local Counsel:

Name: [________________________________]
Maryland Attorney ID: [________________________________]
Firm: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]

Rule 19-217 Requirement: The out-of-state attorney must associate with an attorney who is an active member of the Maryland Bar and who will be responsible for the conduct of the case.

10. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on [__/__/____], a true and correct copy of the foregoing Notice of Appearance was served upon all parties and counsel of record by the following means:

☐ MDEC electronic service (Odyssey File & Serve), which automatically serves all registered MDEC users who have entered an appearance in this case

☐ First-class United States mail, postage prepaid

☐ Hand delivery

☐ Facsimile transmission

☐ Email (where permitted)

in accordance with Maryland Rule 1-321, to the following:

11. SIGNATURE BLOCK

Date: [__/__/____]

Respectfully submitted,

[________________________________]
(Law Firm Name)


By: ____________________________________________
    [________________________________]
    Maryland Attorney ID: [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    Telephone: [________________________________]
    Facsimile: [________________________________]
    Email: [________________________________]

    Attorney for [________________________________]

12. EFILING AND PROCEDURAL INSTRUCTIONS

MDEC (Maryland Electronic Courts) Filing

1. Mandatory E-Filing: Since May 6, 2024, MDEC has been implemented statewide. All attorneys must file electronically through MDEC (Odyssey File & Serve) unless an exemption has been granted.

2. Registration: Attorneys must register for an MDEC account through the Maryland Judiciary's Odyssey File & Serve portal. Registration requires the attorney's Maryland Client Protection Fund number.

3. Filing Codes: When filing a Notice of Appearance through MDEC, use the appropriate attorney filing code for Circuit Court. See the Maryland Judiciary's "Attorney Filing Codes" reference document for the correct code.

4. Service Through MDEC: MDEC automatically serves all registered users who have entered an appearance in the case. For non-registered users and self-represented parties, the filer must serve by traditional means under Rule 1-321.

County-Specific Considerations

Baltimore City Circuit Court

• Baltimore City is an independent jurisdiction, not part of Baltimore County.
• Baltimore City may have local administrative orders governing courtesy copies and scheduling.
• Case number format may differ from county circuits.

Montgomery County

• Check for local administrative orders regarding courtesy copy requirements.
• Montgomery County has specific procedures for certain case types.

Prince George's County

• Verify local standing orders for motion practice and scheduling.

All Counties

• Confirm whether the specific court division requires any supplemental forms with the appearance (e.g., civil information report, scheduling statement).

Service Requirements Under Maryland Rule 1-321

• Service of pleadings and papers (other than original pleadings) must be made upon each party's attorney of record.
• If a party is not represented, service is made upon the party directly.
• Service may be made by delivery, mailing to the last known address, or through MDEC for registered users.

Important Practice Considerations

• Appearance vs. Answer: Filing a Notice of Appearance does not constitute an answer or responsive pleading. Deadlines to respond continue to run.
• Withdrawal: Under Maryland Rule 2-132, an attorney may withdraw by filing a request to strike the appearance. The request must include the client's last known address and telephone number, and must be served on the client.
• Multiple Attorneys: If multiple attorneys from the same firm appear, designate a lead attorney for service purposes.

13. PRACTITIONER NOTES -- MARYLAND-SPECIFIC

Court Structure

• Circuit Court: Courts of general jurisdiction; 24 circuits (one per county plus Baltimore City).
• District Court: Courts of limited jurisdiction; no jury trials in civil cases.
• Baltimore City operates as an independent jurisdiction, distinct from Baltimore County.

MDEC Statewide Implementation

• MDEC was fully implemented statewide as of May 6, 2024.
• All circuit court filings must be made electronically through MDEC.
• Self-represented parties may file in paper at the Clerk's office, where documents will be scanned into MDEC.

Maryland Attorney ID

• Maryland attorneys are identified by their Client Protection Fund (CPF) number, commonly referred to as the "Maryland Attorney ID."
• This number must appear on all court filings.

Title 20 -- Electronic Filing and Case Management

• Title 20 of the Maryland Rules governs all aspects of electronic filing through MDEC.
• Rule 20-101 contains definitions applicable to MDEC filings.
• Rule 20-106 specifies when electronic filing is required.
• Rule 20-201 governs the filing of submissions in MDEC.

Filing Fees (Subject to Change)

• Appearance fees vary by case type and court. Confirm the current fee with the Circuit Court Clerk.
• Fees may be paid through the MDEC system.
• Fee waiver requests may be filed for indigent parties.

Key Differences from Federal Practice

• Maryland uses the "Maryland Rules" rather than rules modeled on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
• The MDEC system is the statewide e-filing platform, analogous to CM/ECF in federal courts.
• Limited scope representation is explicitly authorized under amended Rules 2-131 and 2-132.
• Pro hac vice admission is governed by Rule 19-217, with specific disclosure requirements about prior Maryland admissions.

This template is designed for use in Maryland Circuit Courts. Verify all rule citations and local requirements before filing. Court rules and administrative orders are subject to change.