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Judicial Council approves three changes to court time standards
Summary
The Judicial Council approved three Court Operations Committee recommendations on Nov. 13, 2024: lengthening the small civil time standard, adding a suspension stop for withdrawn competency evaluations, and recognizing a probation‑with‑stay case stop for juvenile delinquency.
The Maryland Judicial Council on Nov. 13, 2024, approved three recommendations from the Court Operations Committee that modify how the trial courts calculate case time standards.
The changes — agreed to by voice vote after a motion from Judge Geoffrey G. Hengerer and a second from Judge Stacy A. Mayer — adjust the Civil Small time standard from 120 days to 135 days, create a suspension stop when a competency or NCR evaluation is withdrawn, and add “Probation With Stay for Delinquency Finding” as an allowable juvenile delinquency case stop.
The committee made the recommendations after the Judiciary’s Research and Analysis office assessed FY2024 caseflow. Jamie Walter and colleagues reported that most case types were within 5% of pre‑COVID time standards and that the percentage of criminal cases resolved within the time standard rose from 85% to 95%. Traffic cases under the modified 21‑902 metric met the Judiciary’s goal for the first time, improving to 98% within time standards.
Why it matters: the Civil Small adjustment follows a change to Md. Rule 3‑113 that extended the summons service deadline, which directly affects how much time courts should allow for completion of small civil matters. The new suspension stop for withdrawn evaluations is intended to avoid indefinite time tracking gaps when evaluations are started but not completed. Adding the probation‑with‑stay stop acknowledges a practice that can pause case clocks while a juvenile remains subject to court supervision.
Council members discussed areas of concern raised by the data. Andrew Ortiz noted declines in compliance for some family and juvenile case types; the Research and Analysis team said it will contact clerks to investigate drivers of delays, particularly the fall in termination‑of‑parental‑rights (TPR) compliance from 67% in FY23 to 55% in FY24. Judge Fred S. Hecker suggested limited attorney availability may contribute to certain delays, and Judge Stacy A. Mayer cited service‑related postponements as another factor.
The motion to accept the three Court Operations Committee recommendations passed with no objections. The changes will be incorporated into the Judiciary’s time‑standard guidance and caseflow reporting practices.
