Would you like to know if your case should be handled in Maryland’s district court or the federal district court? Contact Malloy Law Offices, LLC today!
You may get a call from your lawyer and your lawyer may tell you, “hey, we have to file in federal court.” Additionally, your lawyer may want to file in federal court. There’s no reason to feel any anxiety about this news or being told that your case will be decided in federal district court as opposed to Maryland’s state district court. Now in Maryland state court, we have a district court and it’s not to be confused with federal district court.
Maryland district court is the lower tier of our court system. Your case will be decided by a judge. They handle controversies not to exceed $30,000. It’s totally different from federal district court because it is in the federal court system’s scheme. Every state has a federal district court and many states have more than one. In Maryland, we have one single federal district court but it has a Baltimore division and a Greenbelt division. You’re entitled to a jury trial in either court. Whether your case is filed in federal court or state court, it’s not going to change the substantive strengths or weaknesses of your case.
In federal court, the judges are appointed by the president of the United States. There is a separate type of judge you would encounter in this specific court is called a magistrate judge. You and your lawyer would have the opportunity to opt to have your case heard by a magistrate judge early on. The advantage is, your case may be moved along faster in the court process than opting to have the case stay with an appointed federal court judge. When you are deciding whether you want to file in federal court as opposed to state court, it’s a decision you and your lawyer should talk about and weigh the pros and cons and decide what’s better for you and your case.
Here at Malloy Law Offices, LLC, we handle mainly personal injury cases. Although, only 5% of personal injury cases go to trial. Our attorneys here still are aware of the differences between the two court systems and will guide you to see which court is best for your case. If you would like to see how we handle these cases, click here to view more. Call (888) 607-8690 for a free consultation.