Trust & Adoptions

Telephone: 410-222-1331

Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

The Trust and Adoption Department is part of the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County. Guardianship cases are filed for individuals who have a disability (which includes minority) and also have property. This includes guardianships of person and property, or property only. These guardianship files are maintained by and remain in the Trust and Adoption Department. Unless sealed by Court order, they are available for inspection.

Guardianships

NEW!  Download the forms to submit your Annual Fiduciary Report.  You will need to install Adobe Acrobat if you do not already have it installed.  You may enter the data into the form online but must print the form and submit it to the Trust Department.  For additional information, contact the Trust Department at 410-222-1331.  Click here to download the Annual Fiduciary Report.

Information about establishing a guardianship can be found in the Maryland Rules of Procedure; guardianship and fiduciary rules are found in Title 10 (Volume 2). The Estates and Trusts volume of the Annotated Code of Maryland also contains applicable law. These volumes can be found in the law library at the Circuit Court, or the Courts of Appeals Library (316 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis). 

The guardianship decree or order establishes the guardianship, names the guardian(s), and states whether the guardian(s) must file a bond and in what amount. Bond is filed in this department. The guardian(s) must file an Inventory of Assets within 60 days of appointment. Fiduciary Reports are due each year within 60 days of the accounting period; a fee is charged based upon the value of the assets in the guardianship estate.

Adoptions

All adoptions are also filed in this department, and the files are housed here as well. Termination of Parental Rights cases involving the Anne Arundel Department of Social Services are filed in the Juvenile Department. The Maryland Rules of Procedure (Title 9, Family Law Actions, Chapter 100) and the Family Law volume of the Annotated Code of Maryland provide information concerning adoptions as well. There are no prepared forms available.

Adoptions are "sealed" and are unavailable for inspection. For inquiries regarding adoptions, letters should be addressed to Judge, Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, PO Box 71, Annapolis, Maryland 21404 ATTN: Adoption Dept. Include any information you have (case number, adopting parent’s name, date of birth, etc.), your reason for requesting information, and your name, address and a telephone number where you can be reached.

For either guardianships or adoptions, you may prepare and file your own cases, or you may wish to consult an attorney.

Effective June 1, 2004: the surcharge for the Maryland Legal Services Corporation Fund will increase from $10.00 to $25.00. The increase was necessitated by the passage of Senate Bill 316 of the 2004 Session of the General Assembly.