Terms Used In Maryland Code, COURTS AND JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS 12-101

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • County: means a county of the State or Baltimore City. See
  • de novo: means judicial review based on an administrative record and any additional evidence that would be authorized by § 10-222(f) and (g) of the State Government Article. See
  • including: means includes or including by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. See
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(a) In this title the following terms have the meanings indicated.

(b) “Appellate court” means any court which reviews a final judgment of another court, and includes any court authorized to enter judgment following a de novo trial on appeal of a case or proceeding previously tried in another court.

(c) “Appellate jurisdiction” means the jurisdiction exercised by an appellate court.

(d) “Circuit court” means the circuit court for a county.

(e) “Criminal action”, “criminal case”, “criminal cause”, or “criminal proceeding” includes a case charging violation of motor vehicle or traffic laws and a case charging violation of a rule or regulation if a criminal penalty may be incurred.

(f) “Final judgment” means a judgment, decree, sentence, order, determination, decision, or other action by a court, including an orphans’ court, from which an appeal, application for leave to appeal, or petition for certiorari may be taken.