CourtCall Telephonic Appearances Call (888) 882-6878 to make arrangements The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County offers telephonic appearances through CourtCall. The use of CourtCall will cost an attorney/party $50 per appearance should they desire to appear telephonically in a hearing scheduled before our Court. CourtCall does not charge those litigants who are indigent and have secured a waiver of costs. The Court has prepared a list of the types of hearings suitable for CourtCall. The list, which appears below, is broken down into two categories: 1) Hearings which have our blanket approval to use CourtCall and attorneys/parties can schedule a CourtCall telephonic appearance at any time and; 2) Hearings which require Court approval. Category 1 Hearings approved for CourtCall
1. Civil Non-evidentiary motions
2. Tax Sale Status Conferences
3. Oral Arguments (non-evidentiary) - Administrative Agency Appeals - District Court Appeals - Inmate Grievances Category 2 Hearings which require Court approval
1. Habeas Corpus Hearings
2. DCM Compliance Hearings
3. Out of State Appearances by attorneys or witnesses
4. Other hearings where a party may be prevented from attending due to health or family crisis In Category 1 cases where blanket approval is given, attorneys or parties should call CourtCall directly at (888) 882-6878 to schedule a telephonic appearance. Once that is done, CourtCall will notify the Assignment Office and a tag will be placed on the Court's docket that at least one party is appearing telephonically via CourtCall. In Category 2 cases, a written request needs to be sent to the Court’s Postponement Coordinator, who will bring that notice to the appropriate DCM Judge to approve or deny. If approved, the Assignment Office will be notified and will tag the file to indicate that at least one party will appear by telephone through CourtCall. Below are a series of Questions and Answers which we hope will help guide you through this process. Q. How can I schedule a CourtCall Appearance?
A. Once your telephonic appearance has been approved by the Court, call CourtCall at (888) 882-6878 to make arrangements Q. What is the minimum amount of time for scheduling a CourtCall Appearance?
A. Specific deadlines vary but the general rule of thumb is at least five (Court/business) days. Q. How far in advance can I schedule a CourtCall Appearance?
A. As far ahead as you wish. Q. How much does the service cost?
A. For the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, the fee is $50 per telephonic appearance. Q. What methods of payment does CourtCall accept?
A. CourtCall accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express. Q. How do I set up an account?
A. CourtCall offers a pre-paid Debit Account for customers who wish to receive a monthly statement. Q. Will there be a separate fee for my client?
A. There is a separate fee for each individual party appearing by telephone. Q. The Court is ordering my appearance by telephone, why should I have to pay for your services?
A. CourtCall/CourtConference provides equipment, scheduling and other services to facilitate telephonic appearances for attorneys and Judges. This enables the Court to allow you the opportunity to appear telephonically. Q. I work for the State/Federal Government. Government agencies do not have to pay for your services.
A. As a private company, CourtCall fees apply to all participants, even government agencies. Q. Are there any additional fees?
A. Yes there are. You should make arrangements at least five (Court/business) days in advance to avoid them! Q. Why is the fee so much? It is only a telephone call.
A. It is not just a phone call, it is a Court Appearance and CourtCall provides high quality equipment, scheduling and other services to the Court. Without the option of CourtCall it is unlikely that you would be able to enjoy the time and money saving benefits of not traveling to Court. Q. Do I need consent from the Court to appear by phone?
A. At the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, you must get approval from the Court prior to setting up a CourtCall Appearance. Q. Do I need consent from opposing counsel?
A. No. Q. What types of proceedings can I appear telephonically on?
A. That depends on the Judge/department, our customer service representatives can tell you over the phone what can be scheduled. Q. What if the Court sets an appearance less than five (Court/business) days in advance?
A. No problem, call CourtCall and they will try to schedule it for you. Q. How many people can use CourtCall at a given time.
A. There is no limit to the number of participants that can be on a conference. Q. My client is going to be with me when I make the call, what should I do?
A. Since CourtCall does not allow the use of a speakerphone, you should schedule a separate appearance for your client so that they can participate in the conference. Q. Can I make the call using my cell phone?
A. CourtCall prohibits the use of cell phones on the basis that they can be disruptive to the Court. CourtCalls should be made from a land-line, with the handset engaged. Q. What is the difference between a personal appearance and a telephonic appearance?
A. Not much, the same rules regarding punctuality and conduct apply and a CourtCall Appearance is treated the same way as any other Court Appearance. Q. Will I get heard first if I am appearing by phone?
A. Typically, the Court will take the cases in whatever order they would normally, whether there are telephonic appearances or not. There is no preferential treatment for people making CourtCall Appearances. Q. Why do I have to use CourtCall, can't I just call the Court directly?
A. CourtCall provides equipment and scheduling services to the Court to allow improved teleconferencing on all calls. Note: Click on the Adobe Acrobat logo to download a free version of the software needed to view and print many files on this website.
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