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Published By Louis J. Rizzo

April 3, 2020 – 6:38 PM
Earlier today, the Maryland Judiciary issued three new Administrative Orders responsive to many concerns that the Maryland State Bar Association has raised on behalf of its members over the last few weeks regarding statutes of limitations, statutory and rules deadlines, and filing concerns. You can view the orders in full on the Maryland Court website.

Below is a brief overview of the new Orders:

1. The Judiciary issued an Administrative Order on emergency tolling or suspension of statutes of limitations and statutory and rules deadlines related to the initiation of matters and certain statutory and rules deadlines in pending matters. The Order includes the following important changes:

  • All statutory and rules deadlines related to the initiation of matters required to be filed in a Maryland state court, including statutes of limitations, shall be tolled or suspended, as applicable, effective March 16, 2020, by the number of days that the courts are closed to the public due to the COVID-19 emergency by order of the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals
  • All statutes and rules deadlines to hear pending matters, including, but not limited to juvenile matters, shall be tolled or suspended, as applicable, effective March 16, 2020, by the number of days that the courts are closed to the public due to the COVID-19 emergency by order of the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals;
  • Such deadlines further shall be extended by a period to be described in an order by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals terminating the COVID-19 emergency period
  • Any such filings made within the period to be described in (b) shall relate back to the day before the deadline expired.
  • To the extent that this Administrative Order conflicts with extant Administrative Orders or local administrative orders, this Administrative Order shall prevail, except as provided in the Administrative Order Expanding Statewide Judiciary Restricted Operations Due to the COVID-19 Emergency filed on April 3, 2020, and the Administrative Order on Expanding the Statewide Suspension of Jury Trials and Suspending Grand Juries, filed April 3, 2020The Judiciary also expanded the statewide suspension of jury trials by Administrative Order.

2. The Judiciary issued an Administrative Order expanding restricted operations due to the COVID-19 emergency to allow remote filings for non-MDEC jurisdictions.

3. If you have questions, or would like additional information, please contact Lou Rizzo, Chair of Reger Rizzo & Darnall’s Insurance Practices Group, at 215.495.6507, or via email at lrizzo@regerlaw.com.

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