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The Circuit Court for Montgomery County in Rockville is the general jurisdiction court with authority over all major civil cases and serious criminal cases arising within the County.
Montgomery County is one of the largest counties in the U.S. The Rockville courthouse is a reflection of that size and scale. The Circuit Court for Montgomery County handles all matters that come with a right to a jury trial.
The Rockville court has 24 sitting judges and a small army of administrative staff to handle the thousands of cases that come through its doors each year.
Courthouse in Rockville
Montgomery County Circuit Court
50 Maryland, Ave
Rockville, MD 20850
The Montgomery Courthouse is located on the sprawling County Government campus in downtown Rockville which runs along Jefferson Street between Maryland Ave and Monroe Street and houses both the Judicial Center and the Executive Office Building. The massive Judicial Center building is located on the west side of the campus at 50 Maryland Avenue. On the eastern side of the campus is the Executive Office Building which connects to the Judicial Center by terrace and houses the County Executive and various administrative offices.
The Judicial Center was built in 1980 to accommodate the County’s booming suburban population. The Judicial Center is an expansive modern building with 9 floors with a single main entrance on Maryland Ave. The first 5 levels of the Judicial Center are home to various administrative branches of the court including Clerk of the Court, Court Administration, Register of Wills, Land Records, State’s Attorney, Sheriff, and Family Services. The actual courtrooms and judges’ chambers are located on the top 4 levels.
Even with all this space the Judicial Center building bursting at the seams by the early 2000s due to a steady increase in the volume of civil filings. This need for increased capacity eventually led to the Montgomery County Circuit Court Annex Project. In April 2014 the Annex (called the South Tower) officially opened and became part of the Judicial Center building. The new South Tower features 10 modern courtrooms, 8 hearing rooms, and additional space that includes a Kids Spot Child Waiting Area.
History of the Circuit Court in Rockville
Rockville has been the County Seat of Montgomery County since its formation and the very first County courthouse opened its doors in 1785 on the land that historic Red Brick Courthouse now stands on. A new building, known as the “Second Courthouse in Rockville” was completed in 1840 and located across the street from the Red Brick Courthouse, near the site of the current Executive Office Building.
By the end of the 1800s Montgomery County was still a small, rural community with a population of only 30,000 but it was starting to grow as Washington DC began to spill over.
In 1891 a new brick courthouse building (the “Red Brick Courthouse”) was constructed on the site of the original courthouse. The Red Brick Courthouse served as the primary county courthouse for almost 100 years, during which time it was continuously altered, expanded, and adapted to fit contemporary needs.
When the new Rockville Judicial Center building was opened in 1982 the Red Brick Courthouse was officially closed. In the 1990s, however, the building was restored to its original appearance and rededicated to its original use as a Circuit Court.
Parking and Navigation
The Circuit Court for Montgomery County is one of the more easily accessible courthouses in Maryland. The Judicial Center building is located in the heart of Rockville. The Courthouse itself is a short walk from the Rockville Metro Station. If you drive to the Judicial Center there is ample public parking within the surrounding blocks.
If you prefer to just park in a garage there are also plenty of options. Below is a summary of the best parking garages:
| 11 N. Washington Public Garage 11 N. Washington St Rockville, MD 20850 Just north of the Judicial Center near the M&T Bank building. |
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| Rockville Parking Garage 77 S. Washington St Rockville, MD 20850 Directly across the street to the west of the Judicial Center |
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| Colonial Parking 141 E. Middle Lane Rockville, MD 20850 Probably the closest garage to the front entrance of the Judicial Center building. |
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| Colonial Parking 51 Monroe St 51 Monroe Street Rockville, MD 20850 This garage is more than a block away from the Judicial Center but it is the most “user-friendly” and accessible |
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Jury Duty Information
As recently as the 1990s, jury trials were still a relatively rare event at the Judicial Center building in Rockville. Since then, however, the volume of civil case filings i
n Montgomery County has skyrocketed and today jury trials are not uncommon. This means that if you happen to live in Montgomery County your chances of getting summoned for jury duty are steadily increasing.
Your jury duty summons will have detailed information on when and where to report for jury duty. For additional information about compliance with a jury duty summons visit the Montgomery County Circuit Court Juror Web Portal.
Jurors can park in a special Juror Parking Lot located at the corner of E. Jefferson St. and Monroe St. The lot is unmarked and does not have a street address but you can watch this video for help in locating the Juror Lot. From the Juror Parking Lot, the best way to get into the Montgomery Courthouse building is through the Jefferson Street entrance.
Montgomery County Judges & Magistrates
The Circuit Court for Montgomery County has 24 sitting judges; 5 magistrates that handle family law matters, and a panel of 20 senior judges that are periodically called upon to handle conferences and preside over trials when necessary. Below is the roster of Montgomery County’s sitting Circuit Court judges and contact information for their chambers.
| Judge’s Name | Staff Contact | Phone | Tower | Floor | Court |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judge Robert A. Greenberg Administrative Judge |
Lorena Kushida | 240-777-9392 | North | 3rd | 3E |
| Judge Anne K. Albright Associate Judge |
Monica Aguilar | 240-777-9261 | North | 8th | 8B |
| Judge Gary E. Bair Associate Judge |
Jennifer Han | 240-777-9314 | South | 5th | 5G |
| Judge James A. Bonifant Associate Judge |
Kara Hawkins | 240-777-9366 | North | 9th | 9C |
| Judge David A. Boynton, Associate Judge |
Lisa Hyatt | 240-777-9240 | North | 6th | 6A |
| Judge Sharon V. Burrell, Associate Judge |
Terrence Chaney | 240-777-9296 | South | 3rd | 3F |
| Judge Cynthia Callahan, Associate Judge |
Lourdes Mairena Mora | 240-777-9254 | South | 5th | 5H |
| Judge Jeannie E. Cho, Associate Judge |
Gaby Alvarez | 240-773-4060 | North | 7th | 7D |
| Judge Jill R. Cummins, Associate Judge |
Sonya Young | 240-773-4005 | North | 7th | 7A |
| Judge Debra L. Dwyer, Associate Judge |
LuAnn Rosenthal | 240-777-9197 | North | 8th | 8D |
| Judge Christopher C. Fogleman Associate Judge |
Sandy Green | 240-777-9268 | South | 4th | 4I |
| Judge Kevin G. Hessler, Associate Judge |
Brooke Marshall | 240-777-9304 | North | 9th | 9B |
| Judge Richard E. Jordan, Associate Judge |
Crystal Marshall | 240-777-9205 | South | 5th | 5I |
| Judge David W. Lease, Associate Judge |
Jennifer Littlejohn | 240-773-4072 | North | 6th | 6D |
| Judge John M. Maloney, Associate Judge |
Diana Maizel | 240-777-9360 | North | 9th | 9A |
| Judge Cheryl A. McCally, Associate Judge |
Lidia Laboy | 240-777-9181 | North | 6th | 6B |
| Judge Ronald B. Rubin, Associate Judge |
Charo Campbell | 240-777-9226 | North | 7th | 7B |
| Judge Nelson W. Rupp Jr., Associate Judge |
Claudia Ventura | 240-777-9282 | South | 4th | 4G |
| Judge Joan E. Ryon, Associate Judge |
Melanie Justice | 240-777-9219 | South | 5th | 5F |
| Judge Steven G. Salant, Associate Judge |
Cindy Smith | 240-777-9275 | South | 3rd | 3G |
| Judge Margaret M. Schweitzer, Associate Judge |
Patti Hamilton | 240-777-9289 | North | 7th | 7C |
| Judge Karla N. Smith, Associate Judge |
Simone Morrison | 240-773-4066 | South | 4th | 4H |
| Judge Harry C. Storm, Associate Judge |
Diana Olsen | 240-777-9372 | North | 8th | 8A |