The Court of Special Appeals is an intermediate appellate court created in 1966. The court has no original jurisdiction. Except for the Court of Appeals, it has exclusive initial appellate jurisdiction over judgment, decrees, and orders from a Circuit or Orphans' Court. The Court of Special Appeals sits at Annapolis. Cases are heard before a panel of not fewer than three judges.
All decisions are by majority vote.
An appeal is taken by filing an order for appeal with the clerk of the trial court. However, in a post-conviction case, an appeal may be filed with either the clerk of the Court of Special Appeals or with the lower court clerk. Decisions of this court are reported in the Maryland Appellate Reports, Maryland Reporter and the Atlantic Reporter, second series. The Circuit courts are the highest common law and equity courts of record exercising original jurisdiction. These courts have appellate jurisdiction over decisions of the District courts.