Robert C. Murphy Court

Story

The Court of Appeals of Maryland is the supreme court of the U.S. state of Maryland. The court, which is composed of one chief judge and six associate judges, meets in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building in the state capital, Annapolis. The term of the Court begins the second Monday of September. The Court is unique among American courts in that the judges wear red robes. The Maryland Court of Appeals joins the New York Court of Appeals in being the only two state Supreme Courts to bear the name "Court of Appeals" rather than "Supreme Court".FunctionsAs Maryland's highest court, the Court of Appeals reviews cases of both major and minor importance. Throughout the year, the Court of Appeals holds hearings on the adoption or amendment of rules of practice and procedure. It also supervises the Attorney Grievance Commission and State Board of Law Examiners in attorney disciplinary and admission matters. The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, designated by the Governor, is the constitutional administrative head of the Maryland judicial system.Cases typically come before the Court of Appeals on a petition for a writ of certiorari to the Court of Special Appeals. The court can decline the petition, and refuse to hear the case, or it can grant the "cert," and hear the appeal. The judges sometimes decide to hear an appeal before the lower appellate court has heard the case. This is known as the Court 'granting certiorari on its own motion', or 'reaching down'. In this instance, the writ of certiorari is issued to the trial court, rather than to the Court of Special Appeals (Maryland's intermediate appellate court, or appellate court of right).