(a) Objections to evidence. — An objection to the admission of evidence shall be made at the time the evidence is offered or as soon thereafter as the grounds for objection become apparent. Otherwise, the objection is waived. The grounds for the objection need not be stated unless the court, at the request of a party or on its own initiative, so directs. The court shall rule upon the objection promptly. When the relevancy of evidence depends upon the fulfillment of a condition of fact, the court may admit the evidence subject to the introduction of additional evidence sufficient to support a finding of the fulfillment of the condition. The objection is waived unless, at some time before final argument in a jury trial or before the entry of judgment in a court trial, the objecting party moves to strike the evidence on the ground that the condition was not fulfilled.
Rule 2-517.Method of making objections
Circuit Court · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceSpells out when and how a party must object during trial to preserve the objection for the trial court or an appeal.
Full Text of Rule 2-517
(b) Continuing objections to evidence. — At the request of a party or on its own initiative, the court may grant a continuing objection to a line of questions by an opposing party. For purposes of review by the trial court or on appeal, the continuing objection is effective only as to questions clearly within its scope.
(c) Objections to other rulings or orders. — For purposes of review by the trial court or on appeal of any other ruling or order, it is sufficient that a party, at the time the ruling or order is made or sought, makes known to the court the action that the party desires the court to take or the objection to the action of the court. The grounds for the objection need not be stated unless these rules expressly provide otherwise or the court so directs. If a party has no opportunity to object to a ruling or order at the time it is made, the absence of an objection at that time does not constitute a waiver of the objection.
(d) Formal exceptions unnecessary. — A formal exception to a ruling or order of the court is not necessary.
Committee Note & Source
Committee note. With respect to objections to the admissibility of evidence made and denied on pretrial motion, see Jones v. State, 9 Md. App. 455, 265 A.2d 271 (1970).
Source. This Rule is derived as follows:
Section (a) is derived from former Rule 522 d.
Section (b) is new.
Section (c) is derived from former Rule 522 b and c.
Section (d) is derived from former Rule 522 a.
Plain-English Summary
An objection to evidence has to come when the evidence is offered, or as soon as the ground for objecting becomes clear — otherwise it's waived. A party normally doesn't have to explain the grounds for an evidentiary objection unless the court asks. When evidence only becomes relevant if some other fact is later proven, the court can let it in provisionally; the objecting party then has until closing argument (in a jury trial) or the entry of judgment (in a court trial) to move to strike it if that supporting fact never came in.
A court may also grant a continuing objection covering a whole line of questions, so a party doesn't have to interrupt after every question. That continuing objection only protects questions that clearly fall within its scope — anything outside it needs its own objection. For rulings and orders other than evidence rulings, the bar is lower: a party just has to let the court know, at the time, what action it wants or what it's objecting to, and doesn't need to state grounds unless a rule says otherwise or the court asks. If a party never gets a chance to object when the ruling is made, staying silent doesn't waive the objection. And none of this requires the old formal "exception" — just a timely, on-the-record objection.
Frequently Asked Questions
When must an objection to evidence be made?
At the time the evidence is offered, or as soon afterward as the ground for objecting becomes apparent. An objection made later than that is waived.
Do I have to explain why I'm objecting?
Not for an evidentiary objection, unless the court — on its own or at a party's request — directs you to state your grounds.
What does a continuing objection cover?
A continuing objection to a line of questions protects only the questions that clearly fall within its scope. Questions outside that scope need a separate objection.
How do I object to a ruling that isn't about evidence?
Just make your position known to the court at the time the ruling or order is made or sought — what you want the court to do, or what you object to. You generally don't need to state grounds unless a rule requires it or the court asks.
What if I never had a chance to object when a ruling was made?
Rule 2-517(c) says the absence of a contemporaneous objection in that situation doesn't waive it.
Do I need to take a formal exception after the court rules?
No. Rule 2-517(d) does away with the formal exception. A timely objection on the record is enough.
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
Also known as: how to object at trial marylandwaiver of objection maryland rulecontinuing objection marylandpreserving an objection for appeal marylandformal exception unnecessary marylandobjecting to evidence maryland civil