(a) By an attorney or in proper person. — Except as otherwise provided by rule or statute: (1) an individual may enter an appearance by an attorney or in proper person and (2) a person other than an individual may enter an appearance only by an attorney.
Rule 2-131.Appearance
Circuit Court · Last amended January 1, 2025 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceExplains how a party formally enters a Maryland civil case — through an attorney, on their own, or, for a defined slice of the case, through a lawyer whose role is limited by written agreement.
Full Text of Rule 2-131
(b) Limited appearance. —
(1) Notice of Appearance. — An attorney, acting pursuant to an agreement with a client for limited representation that complies with Rule 19-301.2 (c) of the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct, may enter an appearance limited to participation in a discrete matter or judicial proceeding. The notice of appearance (A) shall be accompanied by an Acknowledgment of Scope of Limited Representation substantially in the form specified in subsection (b)(2) of this Rule and signed by the client, and (B) shall specify the scope of the limited appearance, which (i) shall not exceed the scope set forth in the Acknowledgment but (ii) unless otherwise ordered by the court, shall include the performance of any procedural task required by law to achieve the objective of the appearance.
(2) Acknowledgment of Scope of Limited Representation. — The Acknowledgment of Scope of Limited Representation shall be substantially in the following form:
(Caption) ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SCOPE OF LIMITED REPRESENTATION Client: ______________________ Attorney: ______________________ I have entered into a written agreement with the above-named attorney. I understand that the attorney will represent me for the following limited purposes (check all that apply): □ Arguing the following motion or motions:
______________________ □ Attending a pretrial conference. □ Attending a settlement conference.
□ Attending the following court-ordered mediation or other court-ordered alternative dispute resolution proceeding for purposes of advising the client during the proceeding:
______________________ □ Acting as my attorney for the following hearing, deposition, or trial:
______________________ □ With leave of court, acting as my attorney with regard to the following specific issue or a specific portion of a trial or hearing: ______________________ .
______________________ I understand that except for the legal services specified above, I am fully responsible for handling my case, including complying with court Rules and deadlines. I understand further that during the course of the limited representation, the court may discontinue sending court notices to me and may send all court notices only to my limited representation attorney. If the court discontinues sending notice to me, I understand that although my limited representation attorney is responsible for forwarding to me court notices pertaining to matters outside the scope of the limited representation, I remain responsible for keeping informed about my case.
______________________ Client
______________________ Signature
______________________ Date
(c) How entered. — Except as otherwise provided in section (b) of this Rule, an appearance may be entered by filing a pleading or motion or by filing a written notice of appearance.
(d) Effect. — The entry of an appearance is not a waiver of the right to assert any defense in accordance with these rules. Special appearances are abolished.
Amendment History
Amended Nov. 9, 1994, effective Jan. 1, 1995; Jan. 20, 1999, effective July 1, 1999; Feb. 10, 2009, effective May 1, 2009; June 7, 2011, effective July 1, 2011; March 3, 2015, effective July 1, 2015; December 7, 2015, effective January 1, 2016; June 6, 2016, effective July 1, 2016; December 13, 2016, effective April 1, 2017; April 9, 2018, effective July 1, 2018; effective March 16, 2020; amended October 15, 2024, effective January 1, 2025.
Committee Note & Source
Committee note. Although the scope of a limited representation is largely a matter of contract between the attorney and the client, if there are procedural requirements necessary to the achievement of the objective agreed upon, a limited appearance, unless otherwise ordered by the court for good cause, must include satisfaction of those requirements, and the Acknowledgment must include that commitment. As examples, (1) if the appearance is limited to filing and pursuing a motion for summary judgment and achievement of that objective requires the filing of affidavits, the attorney is responsible for assuring that the affidavits are prepared, that they are in proper form, and that they are properly filed; (2) if the appearance is limited to obtaining child support for the client, the attorney is responsible for assuring that any financial statements, child support guideline worksheets, and other documents necessary to obtaining the requested order are prepared, are in proper form, and are properly filed.
Cross references. See Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 19-301.2, Comment 8. For striking of an attorney’s limited appearance, see Rule 2-132 (a).
Committee note. The entry of a limited appearance in accordance with this Rule does not constitute the entry of an appearance for the purpose of bringing, prosecuting, or defending an action and does not require the payment of a fee under Code, Courts Article, § 7-204.
Cross references. See Rules 1-311, 1-312, and 1-313; Rules 19-214, 19-215, and 19-216 of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar. See also Rule 1-202 (v) for the definition of “person.”
Source. This Rule is in part derived from former Rule 124 and in part new.
Plain-English Summary
An "appearance" is how a party officially steps into a lawsuit — the formal signal to the court and the other side that someone is participating. This rule sets who can make that move and how. An individual can appear through an attorney or on their own, without a lawyer. Anyone other than an individual — a corporation, an LLC, an association — has to appear through an attorney; it can't represent itself.
The rule also recognizes a middle ground between full representation and none at all: the limited appearance. An attorney who has a written agreement with a client for limited representation, consistent with the Maryland Attorneys' Rules of Professional Conduct, can enter an appearance restricted to a discrete piece of the case — arguing a single motion, attending a settlement conference, handling one hearing. The notice of that limited appearance has to come with a signed Acknowledgment of Scope of Limited Representation spelling out exactly what the lawyer will and won't handle. The scope in the notice can't exceed what the Acknowledgment describes, but it automatically includes whatever procedural steps are needed to accomplish the limited task, unless the court says otherwise — so, for example, a lawyer retained just to argue a summary judgment motion is still on the hook for getting the supporting affidavits filed and in proper form.
Outside the limited-appearance process, entering an appearance is simple: filing a pleading or motion, or filing a written notice of appearance, does it. Whichever way a party appears, the act itself isn't a waiver of any defense available under the rules — appearing to defend a case doesn't concede anything about jurisdiction, service, or the merits. And the older device of a "special appearance," once used to contest the court's authority without submitting to it, no longer exists in Maryland practice; it's been abolished.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I represent myself in a Maryland circuit court case?
Yes, if you're an individual. This rule lets an individual appear either through an attorney or in proper person — on their own, without counsel.
Does a corporation or LLC have to hire a lawyer to sue or defend a case in Maryland?
Yes. Any party that isn't an individual — a corporation, LLC, partnership, or similar entity — can only enter an appearance through an attorney.
What is a limited appearance?
It's an appearance by an attorney restricted to a specific, discrete part of the case — say, one motion or one hearing — under a written limited-representation agreement with the client that meets the Maryland Attorneys' Rules of Professional Conduct.
What is the Acknowledgment of Scope of Limited Representation?
A signed form that has to accompany a notice of limited appearance, spelling out exactly which tasks the attorney has agreed to handle. The lawyer's appearance can't go beyond what the Acknowledgment describes.
If my lawyer's appearance is limited to one motion, do they still have to handle the paperwork behind it?
Yes, unless the court orders otherwise. A limited appearance automatically covers whatever procedural steps are necessary to achieve the stated objective — for instance, preparing and filing supporting affidavits for a motion the attorney was hired to argue.
Does entering an appearance mean I've given up any defenses?
No. Entering an appearance, whether full or limited, doesn't waive the right to raise any defense otherwise available under the rules.
What happened to "special appearances" in Maryland?
They no longer exist. This rule abolishes special appearances, which were historically used to contest a court's jurisdiction without submitting to it.
Source & verification. Rule text, Committee Note, Source note, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Maryland Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Maryland. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
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