Maryland Form DC-002 is the general-purpose motion form used in the Maryland District Court for civil cases. You use it when you need the court to do something specific before trial: rule on a procedural issue, schedule a hearing, or set aside a judgment already entered against you. It is not the same document as the Notice of Intention to Defend, which is printed on the bottom of the Writ of Summons and is what you file first if you have just been sued. DC-002 comes into play for motions after that, or for post-judgment relief.
When to Use DC-002
DC-002 asks the court to take an action. The Maryland Courts website directs defendants to file procedural challenges on DC-002 as soon as possible before the trial date.1Maryland Courts. What to Do if You Are Sued in District Court Common reasons to use the form include:
- Challenging improper service — the wrong person accepted the papers, they were left at an old address, or the process server did not follow Maryland’s rules.
- Objecting to the court location if the case was filed in a District Court branch that does not have jurisdiction over you or the dispute.
- Asking the court to schedule a hearing on a specific issue before trial.
- Moving to vacate a default judgment already entered against you.
- Requesting other procedural relief, such as a continuance or an order compelling the plaintiff to produce documents.
If you have just been served and have not yet responded to the lawsuit, file the Notice of Intention to Defend from the bottom of your summons first. DC-002 is for motions that come up alongside or after that response, not as a substitute for it.
How to Fill Out DC-002
The form is available as a PDF from the Maryland Courts website.2Maryland Courts. DC-002 Motion Form It has four sections: a header with case identification, the motion itself, a certificate of service, and an order section that the judge completes.
The Header
Enter the city or county where the District Court is located, the court’s address, and the case number from your summons. List the plaintiff’s name and address exactly as they appear on the complaint, then your own name and address as the defendant. On the line that reads “I am the ___ attorney for ___ plaintiff ___ defendant ___ other,” check the box that describes your role. If you are the defendant filing on your own behalf, check “defendant.”
The Motion
The body of the form is a blank space labeled “Motion.” Write a short, clear description of what you want the court to do and why. Legalese is not required. State the facts. If you are challenging improper service, explain how the summons was delivered and why that did not comply with the rules. If you want the court to schedule a hearing on your motion, check the box that says “Request hearing on Motion.”
Signature Block
Sign the form, print your name, and fill in your address, phone number, fax number if you have one, and email address. Add the date. Attorneys also include their attorney number.
Completing the Certificate of Service
DC-002 has a built-in certificate of service at the bottom of the motion section, and completing it is not optional. It is how you confirm to the court that the other side received a copy of your motion.
Check whether you mailed the copy by first-class mail or hand-delivered it. Fill in the date you sent or delivered it. List the name and address of every party you served. Sign again beneath the certificate.
Keep proof of service. If you mailed the copy, hold onto the postage receipt. If you hand-delivered it, ask the recipient to sign an acknowledgment, or bring a witness who can confirm the delivery if it later becomes an issue.
How to File the Form
You have three options for filing DC-002 with the clerk of the District Court handling your case.
- In person. Bring the completed form to the clerk’s office at the District Court branch on your summons. Ask the clerk to date-stamp a copy for your records.
- By mail. Send the form to the specific District Court branch address listed on your summons. Certified mail with a return receipt gives you proof the court received it. The filing date is the date the clerk receives the form, not the date you put it in the mail, so leave yourself time.
- Electronic filing. Maryland’s electronic filing system (MDEC) is available in all jurisdictions, though it is not mandatory for self-represented litigants. To e-file, register with an approved electronic filing service provider through the Maryland Courts website.3Maryland Courts. E-filing for Self-Represented Litigants
Fees depend on what you are asking for. Some motions filed on DC-002 carry a small fee and some do not, so check the District Court’s cost schedule or ask the clerk before you file.
Using DC-002 to Vacate a Default Judgment
If a judgment has already been entered against you — because you missed the deadline to respond, never received notice of the lawsuit, or were not properly served — you can use DC-002 to ask the court to set that judgment aside. You have 30 days from the date the judgment was entered, not the date you found out about it, to file the motion.4Maryland Courts. Appeals and Motions After Trial in the District Court
In the motion section of the form, explain why the judgment should be set aside. The strongest grounds are that you were never properly served with the lawsuit or that you never received notice of the trial date. If you simply forgot the date or delayed responding, the court is far less sympathetic. Be specific about what went wrong, and attach whatever supporting evidence you have: an affidavit about where you were living when service allegedly occurred, proof that the address on the return of service was wrong, or documentation showing you were out of state.
The court may use form DC-CV-001 for certain post-judgment motions, so check with the clerk’s office about which form applies to your situation before filing.
What Happens After You File
Once the clerk processes your motion, the judge reviews it and completes the “Order” section at the bottom of the form. The judge may grant your request, deny it, or schedule a hearing so both sides can be heard. You receive a copy of the signed order by mail. If you checked the box requesting a hearing, the court sends a hearing notice to both sides.
If your motion challenges service or jurisdiction, raise it as early as possible. Waiting until trial to bring up a service problem can waive the defense. If your motion is to vacate a default judgment, bring the same kind of documentation to any hearing that you attached to the motion itself — the court will want to see evidence, not just an explanation.
Between the filing and any hearing or trial date, keep copies of everything you have filed and everything the court sends you. If you are not sure whether DC-002 is the right form for what you need, most Maryland District Court locations have help centers where you can speak with an attorney at no cost.