Media Advisory:
Maryland Court of Special Appeals to Hear Oral Arguments
Adnan Syed v. State of Maryland

and State of Maryland v. Adnan Syed

(ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, May 31, 2017) — On Thursday, June 8, 2017, beginning at 2 p.m., the Maryland Court of Special Appeals will hear oral arguments in the two appellate cases of Adnan Syed v. State of Maryland (No. 2519) and the State of Maryland v. Adnan Syed (No. 1396), in Courtroom 1 on the second floor of the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building, 361 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis, Maryland 21401.  No witness testimony will be presented, nor will the defendant be present.  A decision by the Court will not be made on June 8.  The Court’s decision will be contained in a written opinion, which will be filed on a later date. 

To preserve the security and dignity of the court record and to accommodate public interest in these cases, the Court of Special Appeals today issued an order governing access to the proceedings by media and the public.  Anyone planning to attend the proceedings should be familiar with the order, published on the Highlighted Cases section of the Court of Special Appeals website.

Due to limited courtroom seating, news media will be granted access on a first-come, first-served basis and are asked to send requests to the Judiciary’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs at [email protected].  Once seating capacity is filled, no one will be permitted to enter the courtroom.  Overflow seating will not be provided.  Non-media visitors to the court will be provided passes on a first-come, first-served basis at the courthouse by the Security Administrator.  The use of electronic devices in the courtroom is strictly prohibited and, once individuals leave the courtroom, they will not be permitted to return. 

There will be no pool camera for the proceedings, and no recording devices will be permitted in the courtroom.  Photography, videography, and interviews are permitted only in the third floor lobby or outside of the building and must neither block pedestrian access nor restrict any public areas.  

Judiciary public Wi-Fi is available at the Courts of Appeal building.  The access code is @UnionMills56.  Laptops, tablets, and smart phones may be used to access public Wi-Fi in the first floor rotunda/lobby or at the Maryland State Law Library.

Limited parking spaces for media trucks will be designated by the Security Administrator on-site, and parking restrictions will be strictly enforced.  Additional public and media parking is available at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  For more information, see the Maryland Judiciary directions and parking information webpage.

The procedure regarding cameras at the Courts of Appeal is specified in a summary of Maryland Rule 16-604.

For case-related information, please see the Highlighted Cases section of the Court of Special Appeals website.

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