A party to a health care malpractice claim may serve on the adverse party an offer of judgment pursuant to Code, Courts Article, § 3-2A-08A.
Rule 2-605.Offers of judgment — Health care malpractice claims
Circuit Court · Last amended January 1, 2006 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 2-605 lets a party to a health care malpractice claim make a formal offer of judgment under the specific procedure the Courts Article sets out for those cases.
Full Text of Rule 2-605
Amendment History
Added Nov. 8, 2005, effective Jan. 1, 2006.
Committee Note & Source
Source. This Rule is new.
Plain-English Summary
Health care malpractice claims in Maryland follow their own statutory track, and Rule 2-605 plugs a settlement tool into that track: a party can serve an offer of judgment on the opposing side under Code, Courts Article § 3-2A-08A. The rule itself doesn't spell out how the offer has to be made, what happens if it's accepted or rejected, or what cost consequences follow — those mechanics live in the statute rather than in a rule-based procedure.
In practice, this rule is a bridge: it confirms that the offer-of-judgment tool is available in a health care malpractice case and directs anyone using it to the Courts Article provision that governs the details. A party weighing whether to make or respond to such an offer needs to work from that statute, not from a separate procedural scheme written into the Rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rule 2-605 create its own offer-of-judgment procedure?
No. It authorizes a party to a health care malpractice claim to serve an offer of judgment under Code, Courts Article § 3-2A-08A and points to that statute for how the offer works.
Who can use this offer-of-judgment process?
A party to a health care malpractice claim, as defined by the statutory framework governing those claims.
Where do I find the deadlines and consequences for a malpractice offer of judgment?
In Code, Courts Article § 3-2A-08A. Rule 2-605 authorizes use of the offer but leaves the operative details to that statute.
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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