Finding out if someone has a criminal record is easy in Maryland. The information about arrests and convictions is public knowledge in Maryland. It?s something you can find online, look for in person, and request in detail. Everyone has a right to know if someone they work with, allow to volunteer, or spends time with their kids has a criminal background history. Whether you are a parent worried that a new babysitter has a criminal history, an ex-spouse worried about your kid?s new stepparent and their criminal history, or even an employer looking to see if someone applying for a job is a convicted criminal, you may do so in Maryland. To view Maryland criminal records online for reference only, follow the link below.
It?s not illegal to search for criminal background information in Maryland. It?s considered a public record, so anyone has the freedom to look up the information they see fit. You can do this easily without question, and you can find anything that might be of concern. If you worry someone driving your kids has traffic citations and might not be the most trustworthy driver, that information is considered part of their criminal background check. If you want to see if someone has ever been convicted of a sex crime, or murder, assault, domestic violence, fraud, money issues, or any other crime, you are free to do so without any legal repercussion.
The easiest way to perform a search is online. You can access public records at any Maryland county courthouse website. These are free, they?re available if you have only the person?s name, and you can narrow down the years you want to search, or you can search all time for their criminal public records. You can also look in person at a local police station. Non-certified copies of anyone?s criminal background are available for anyone who chooses to look those up when they are out and questioning whether or not someone has a criminal history.
If you need more in-depth criminal records that might have been transferred from another state in which someone lived or was arrested, you?ll want to check with the Maryland Courts. You can apply online or in person, and you can even apply through the mail. This requires a written consent form from the party whose criminal records you want to find. You?ll submit the information you need to find a person?s past criminal history, and you?ll wait a while for it to be returned to you. It might take several days to a few weeks to gather and make copies of all criminal records, and that?s what you want when you?re looking for more complex information such as this.
You can look up the information for any reason if you have written consent from the other party. If you decide not to work with someone who doesn?t submit to a criminal background check, you don?t have to hire that person or allow them to work for you. It?s not considered discrimination to do this.
Last Updated: 2017-01-13