Calvert Cnty. Cir. Ct. Civil DCM Plan (introduction)

CIRCUIT COURT FOR CALVERT COUNTY, MARYLAND

Differentiated Case Management Plan for Civil Cases

INTRODUCTION

This Differentiated Case Management Plan (DCMP) is established in accordance with

Maryland Rule 16-302(b), which requires the County Administrative Judge to develop and, upon

approval by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, implement and monitor a case management

plan for the prompt and efficient scheduling and disposition of action in the Circuit Court. The

Rule mandates that the case management plan shall include a system of differentiated case

management in which actions are classified according to complexity and priority and are assigned

to a track based on that classification. This Plan is a guide to case management envisioned by Rule

16-302(b). The provisions of the Plan are not intended to be rigid; some deviation from them is to

be expected from time to time. Additionally, the Plan does not purport to override the Maryland

Rules or procedural requirements contained in the Annotated Code of Maryland.

From the commencement of litigation to its resolution, whether by trial or settlement, any

elapsed time other than reasonably required for pleadings, discovery, and court events, is

unacceptable and should be eliminated. To enable just and efficient resolution of cases, the Court,

not the lawyers or litigants, should control the pace of litigation. A strong judicial commitment is

essential to reducing delay and, once achieved, maintaining a current docket. (Standard 250, ABA

Standards Relating to Court Delay Reduction)

It is the purpose of this DCMP to provide an effective case management system which will

assure:

1. Equal treatment of all litigants by the court;

2. Timely disposition consistent with the circumstances of the individual case;

3. Enhancement of the quality of the litigation process; and

4. Public confidence in the court as an institution.

Consistent with the Case Time Standards adopted by the Judicial Council, Constitutional

requirements and applicable Maryland Rules, it is the goal of this plan to ensure that all civil cases,

jury and non-jury, be concluded within 18 months (548 days) of the filing date. Foreclosure cases

are to be completed in 24 months. In order to achieve this goal, the Circuit Court is committed to

resolving different categories of cases within a regular and predictable time frame warranted by

the needs of those cases. For simpler and many typical cases, the warranted time frame may be

shorter than 18 months.

SECTION I

GENERAL PROVISIONS