[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6214373,"mediaKeyId","3670639-84fa21cc693d029af67af30be9606a28","parentId",3670639,"title","Circuit Court for Baltimore City outlines FY26 budget; funds added for in rem foreclosure staff and juror pay retained","audioSeconds",865,"startMs",24015,"endMs",889445,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3670639-84fa21cc693d029af67af30be9606a28&start=24&end=889","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3670639-84fa21cc693d029af67af30be9606a28/thumbnail_24015.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6214373/Baltimore-City/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Circuit-Court-for-Baltimore-City-outlines-FY26-budget-funds-added-for-in-rem-foreclosure-staff-and-juror-pay-retained","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214373-e1564072bf521b0bce997a7858b72601/orig.mp4?Expires=1771203891&Signature=PXtduu2Mv-p2R8xADZAvh9VBnMWbpGT0lZGHcf0Y3j4sgX6WxO1~ZoYxHoMHVQWREyDu6sZ-2Xwu~6jYBbaauW3ue82o4d7AyqtBvwYElcjGwmksJuFErXiIIOboC~VzonPusauaY7Q1mE0OLqs30PoHiRP8KEbpREpyDA7twmZ2UQZkYySdmwqo43I~dAmURSw9Y86DD24kS8bFLX9SV61bBbZbmOVGkA1ni4RAhbEfjnggHaGjuWYqlvZt-YGMGwdamLIdw-bBtdYkgjXKm7ClrPUKelTXulXQzxMbemdwrNB8AaxZHtJz2ZB9oqpdpgL3b9ca~vqF4xlXTxQiLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Baltimore, MD","date","2025-06-04T21:42:15Z","article","Lionel Moore, court administrator for the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, told the Baltimore City Council Wednesday that the court's recommended fiscal year 2026 operating budget preserves a $30 juror stipend and includes new funding for staff to process in rem foreclosure cases.

Moore said the circuit court's FY26 budget is “$30,000,000, and some” with 134 positions and that part of the operating budget includes about $2,200,000 for the daily jury compensation fund. “It is the goal of the circuit court for Baltimore City to provide meaningful access to [the] justice system by the timely, efficient, and fair processing of all cases,” Moore said.

The recommended budget, Moore told council members, “maintains the funding to continue providing a 30 stipend to jurors, which was increased in fiscal year 20 24.” The proposal also allocates $165,000 for facility and maintenance costs at the courthouse.

On staffing, Moore said the budget includes an allocation of $270,000 “for additional staff to support a newly created … full time attorneys to operate or to process in rem foreclosure cases,” and he credited Councilwoman Ramos for work on the matter. Moore said the positions “will be formally created following adoption of the fiscal year 26 budget.”

Councilwoman Ramos described state and city allocations intended to increase capacity for interim/in rem property cases, saying the city had $270,000 and the state had provided roughly $300,000 in support. Ramos praised the magistrate handling those dockets: “Magistrate Welch is pretty amazing,” she said, and told colleagues the court’s Wednesday grama/in rem hearings are virtual and had helped the city move more than 300 properties under the interim process.

Moore told Councilman Edward Gray that the court’s conversion from paper to electronic case filing is working: “We just had our anniversary of the conversion in May. So we are very satisfied with it,” he said, while noting some lingering “kinks” as staff work through implementation.

Other administrative changes in the recommendation include funding for an additional operations specialist and a proposed transfer of a Court Secretary 2 position from the general fund to state funds, Moore said.

The court’s recommended budget items are presented to the council as part of the FY26 adoption process; Moore and council members said positions tied to the new funding will be finalized after the council and budget office complete the formal adoption steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Hearing: FY2026 Budget – Circuit Court; June 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lionel Moore, court administrator for the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, told the Baltimore City Council Wednesday that the court's recommended fiscal year 2026 operating budget preserves a $30 juror stipend and includes new funding for staff to process in rem foreclosure cases.","taxTitle","Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Maryland","taxId",4816,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6214368,"Orphans' Court judge urges technology updates and city benefits alignment as court serves grieving families",738,317880,1056025,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3670639-84fa21cc693d029af67af30be9606a28&start=317&end=1056","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3670639-84fa21cc693d029af67af30be9606a28/thumbnail_317880.jpg","/articles/6214368/Baltimore-City/Baltimore-County/Maryland/Orphans-Court-judge-urges-technology-updates-and-city-benefits-alignment-as-court-serves-grieving-families","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6214368-0c69f027c9610f06f5ff43f7bff10e78/orig.mp4?Expires=1771203891&Signature=LmG9zMXnLbb2WNzaMHDobV4qRVG~0Kx9P780PI-~tFpJbjcVpwCoHzjFUndvuOYahY~JFIa5vhYoR~cDdE3iksEzhHkRenjFzOOxtf6irAOCb5q6PeajOCofYX-EUyn4SswyhgW0fXPBChdGA4RBvDcoD9gxj24CGc5dD796TjMzfqLSVNymB7A1JMPMgZPr0u21U~bxxUiqRDLWLGXdWljcYegTzs0lV5BAVu6sYNLtU1jymV5rrpAN5l5AVvdUwsOPqbagnGAqkuo3hPHXIkPk5NyNh7-rNLEPalazCjIiA3IRmMG5BUsuyRE8jUAXIYmBRRUYQqUrkffnpSA0BQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lewin Garrett, chief judge of the Orphans' Court in Baltimore City, told the Baltimore City Council Wednesday that the Orphans' Court is a city agency with a budget of less than $1 million and needs upgraded technology and access to city employee benefits to better serve grieving families.

“The Orphans' Court is a state institution. We are a city agency, and that's one of the drastic big difference[s],” Garrett said, emphasizing the court’s role managing decedents’ property and assets and the need to respond quickly to families during traumatic times.

Garrett said the Orphans' Court’s budget is “by $820,000 and some months,” indicating the court’s operating budget is under $1 million, and described ongoing work with the budget office on technology and staffing needs. Garrett said the court is moving to CourseMarked (a case-management platform) to enable remote hearings and improve responsiveness. “Once we get on CourseMarked, we would be able to do Zoom hearing,” he said.

Garrett asked the council to recognize that the Orphans' Court functions as a city agency for benefits and maintenance matters even though it operates within the judicial framework he described. He also raised concerns about system maintenance and contingency planning if contract services or technology fail, saying the court needs reliable maintenance and procurement arrangements.

On property matters, Garrett described the court’s role when decedents leave property that no one claims and said the court has expedited processes so the city can take custody of such properties when appropriate. He said the court’s work helps families pay bills and settle estates after a death and that improved technology and staffing would reduce delays and costs for the city and families.

Council members thanked Garrett for the presentation and said staff from the finance department and budget office would follow up on maintenance and procurement questions. Garrett and council members agreed to continue coordinating with the budget office and other city partners to implement the technology upgrades and address benefits and maintenance concerns.","Chief Judge Lewin Garrett told the council that Baltimore City’s Orphans' Court — a city agency separate from the Circuit Court — needs upgraded technology, clearer maintenance contracts, and parity on some employee benefits; Garrett said the court’s budget is under $1 million and described efforts to expedite property matters for decedents.","actionData","errors"]

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Circuit Court for Baltimore City outlines FY26 budget; funds added for in rem foreclosure staff and juror pay retained

Orphans' Court judge urges technology updates and city benefits alignment as court serves grieving families