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Effective January 1, 2003, Maryland
Rule 16-205 established a Business and Technology Case Management
Program in the circuit courts. Counsel may seek designation of
complex civil cases involving business and/or technology issues to
this program by indicating same on the Civil-Non-Domestic
Information Report filed with a Complaint. Upon agreement of counsel
or the filing of the first responsive pleading, the program Director
will determine whether the case is appropriate for inclusion in the
program. The Court may also assign cases to the program on its own
initiative. After a designation, parties have ten (10) days to file
a written motion, stating the basis for any objection. Responses
must be filed within five (5) days after service of the motion. The
determination of the Director on any objections shall be final.
Cases which are designated for the Business
& Technology Case Management Program will be specially assigned
to one of the four judges designated by Administrative Judge Holland
to participate in the program. The judge will conduct a scheduling
conference and manage the case to resolution in the circuit court.
The judges assigned to this program have received specialized
training in business & technology matters through the Judicial
Institute and have included Judges Albert Matricciani and Stuart
Berger, both of whom are now on the Court of Special Appeals.. There
are over fifty opinions on significant issues in business and
technology cases available on the website for the Circuit Court for
Baltimore City (www.baltocts.state.md.us). Many
of those are also available on Lexis, Westlaw and a statewide
judicial website (www.mdcourts.gov).
The Circuit Court for Baltimore City has
technology equipped courtrooms for use by program judges in
designated cases. The Court also has wireless internet access in
both courthouses. |