Talbot County Sheriff's Department
Shortly after taking office, Sheriff Joe Gamble began to take steps to free up his deputies to better serve the citizens of Talbot County. Sheriff Gamble worked closely with the Talbot County Council, and it was determined a civilian position assigned to the Sheriff’s Office could effectively serve civil process papers assigned to the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office is mandated to serve all papers directed to it by the Courts or private litigants and files returns with the courts. These documents include summonses, court process, court-ordered attachments and evictions and other related papers. The deputies are supported by an administrative staff who maintain the tracking process in the Sheriff’s summons component in the Criminal Justice Information System and perform related clerical duties.
The current fees for service of process are as follows:
$60 for personal service of Maryland District Court Landlord and Tenant Notices
$60 for Maryland Process
Out-of-State service cost $60.00 and must have at least 10 days to attempt service.
Note: Out of State Papers – At least one copy of the summons and complaint with a cover letter that describes any specific restrictions on service or other pertinent information. Also include location of person to be served and any other available information.
We accept checks/money orders only and they should be made payable to the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office.
There is a $2 fee for Notary if needed for out of state papers.
There are no fees for service of Domestic Violence-related process.
Please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 410-822-1020 for additional information.
Mailing Address:
Talbot County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Civil Process
28712 Glebe Rd. Suite 1
Easton, MD 21601
Sheriff sales are held by public auction using an auctioneer designated by the Sheriff’s Office. The purpose of the sale is to sell assets to satisfy court ordered judgments. The actual process of executing these various writs will vary with the type of writ and the instructions from the plaintiff and/or the plaintiff’s attorney.
All attachments, replevins and sales executed by the Sheriff’s Office will be conducted in accordance with the Annotated Code of Maryland, Maryland Rules and individual Sheriff’s Office regulations.
For more information or questions, please call 410-822-1020.
The Talbot County Sheriff’s Office receives thousands of writs of restitution from the Talbot County District Court each year. Many of these writs are resolved by the parties prior to an eviction being carried out by the Sheriff’s Office.
In order to provide you with efficient and prompt services, the Sheriff’s Office has prepared the following guidelines related to the scheduling and execution of a writ. (Emergency or unusual situations may require the modification of these services or cancellation of a scheduled eviction.)
To facilitate the execution of a writ of restitution, please follow the guidelines listed below:
Once you have filed for a Writ of Restitution
A writ must be signed by a District Court Judge and sent from the District Court Clerks Office to the Sheriff’s Office. Once a writ arrives in the Sheriff’s Office, it is entered into our computer system and clerical staff will contact the landlord/plaintiff to set up the eviction. An eviction can not be set up until the Writ of Restitution is received by the Sheriff’s Office.
A writ of restitution expires 60 days from the date of the Judge’s signature. If your eviction cannot be scheduled before the expiration date, you must have the District Court reissue the writ.
Scheduling
Eviction dates are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis and are usually set within two weeks.
Plaintiff’s Responsibility
On the date of an eviction the Plaintiff or authorized representative must be present at the property, at the scheduled time, with the appropriate keys to gain entry, and shall provide:
A moving crew of sufficient size and any necessary moving equipment.
A truck or means to get tenant’s personal property to the nearest public right of way.
Tools in case something has to be disassembled before it can be removed.
Plastic bags for clothing and other small items.
Unavailability of sufficient or timely resources may result in the eviction being canceled.
Weather Conditions
If it is raining or snowing at the scheduled time of the eviction, the eviction will not proceed. However, if precipitation starts after an eviction has started, the eviction will continue until completion.
If the predicted high temperature from the national weather broadcast on the scheduled eviction date is 32 degrees or lower, evictions for that day will be canceled.
Cancellations
The Plaintiff should promptly notify the Sheriff’s Office if an eviction has been cancelled due to receipt of payment or other settlement with the tenant. If an eviction is canceled as a result of the unavailability of a moving crew or any of the items listed above under Plaintiff’s Responsibility, the Civil Process Clerk will attempt to reschedule the eviction, if there is an opening on our schedule before the writ expires.
If an eviction is canceled as a result of bad weather it will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
Writ of Possession
These guidelines also apply to a Writ of Possession issued by the Circuit Court.
If you have any questions, suggestions or problems that cannot be resolved during the eviction, please contact the civil process clerical staff at 410-822-1020.
District Court Brochure: ‘Landlord Tenant Issues’ (Click for brochure)
District Court Brochure:’ Information for Tenants’ (Click for brochure)