Md. Admin. Order of 2020-04-22 (Conclusion of the Pilot Project on Text ...)

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF MARYLAND

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ON CONCLUSION OF THE

PILOT PROJECT ON TEXT NOTIFICATION OF COURT EVENTS AND

EXPANSION OF IMPLEMENTATION

WHEREAS, The State Court Administrator, in coordination with the Chief Judge

of the District Court of Maryland, was authorized by the Administrative Order on a Pilot

Project on Text Notification of Court Events, filed January 16, 2018, to develop and

implement a Pilot Project on Text Notification o f Court Events ( “Pilot Project”), to be

conducted for at least six (6) months, absent exigent circumstances requiring a change in

the design or duration; and

WHEREAS, The initial implementation of the Pilot Project began December 3,

2018; and

WHEREAS, Circumstances necessitated extension of the Pilot Project by the

Administrative Office of the Courts in order to obtain sufficient and relevant data to prepare

the report with recommendations by the State Court Administrator to the Chief Judge of

the Court of Appeals as to the efficacy of the Pilot Project and the feasibility, if any, of

broadening the scope of such voluntary text notifications; and

WHEREAS, The Pilot Project was completed on April 20, 2020, and a report with

recommendations having been prepared by the Administrative Office of the Courts with a

recommendation by the State Court Administrator to implement text messaging statewide

and further to expand the case types in which voluntary text notification may be offered,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mary Ellen Barbera, Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals

and administrative head of the Judicial Branch, pursuant to the authority conferred by

Article IV, § 18 of the Maryland Constitution, do hereby order this 22nd day of April 2020,

effective immediately:

The report of the Administrative Office of the Courts indicates that the Pilot Project

has d emonstrated that the use of voluntary text messages to provide reminders about

scheduled events has been effective in helping to reduce failures to appear by defendants

in criminal matters and is hereby accepted; and

Consistent with the recommendation of the State Court Administrator to implement

such text notification on statewide basis, voluntary text notification is authorized to be

implemented statewide in accordance with criteria and pursuant to an implementation

schedule established by the State Court Administrator in the District Court of Maryland

and the circuit courts, after consultation with the Chief Judge of the District Court and the

administrative judges of the circuit courts, respectively, and which may be updated from

time to time; and

Expansion of text notification about court events and related case in formation to

additional case and party types further is authorized to be implemented statewide in

accordance with criteria and pursuant to an implementation schedule established by the

State Court Administrator in the District Court of Maryland and the circuit courts, after

consultation with the Chief Judge of the District Court and the administrative judges of the

circuit courts, respectively, and which may be updated from time to time; and

The text notification pilot project, having been completed, is hereby authorized to

continue on a permanent b asis, subject to the changes described in the preceding

paragraphs; and

The Administrative Order on Administrative Order on a Pilot Project on Text

Notification of Court Events, filed January 16, 2018, shall be and hereby is rescinded

effective immediately.

/s/ Mary Ellen Barbera

Mary Ellen Barbera

Chief Judge

Court of Appeals of Maryland

Filed: April 22, 2020

Pursuant to Maryland Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act

(§§ 10-1601 et seq. of the State Government Article) this document

is authentic.

/s/ Suzanne C. Johnson Suzanne Johnson

2020-04-22 15:32-04:00

Suzanne C. Johnson

Clerk

Court of Appeals of Maryland Suzanne C. Johnson, Clerk