Which Maryland court has a jury and handles serious criminal cases?

• A. Maryland Circuit Court
• B. Maryland Court of Appeals
• C. Maryland District Court
• D. Maryland Special Appeals

Answer: (A)

In Maryland, serious criminal cases that involve a jury are handled by the Circuit Court. This is the trial court with general jurisdiction, where felonies and other significant offenses are tried before a jury. District Court handles misdemeanors and minor civil matters, and trials there are typically bench trials (no jury). The Court of Appeals and the Court of Special Appeals are appellate courts that review decisions, not trial courts, so they don’t conduct jury trials. The choice naming Maryland Special Appeals isn’t the current court name for the intermediate appellate level. So the court that has a jury and handles serious criminal cases is the Circuit Court.