Judicial Appointments

Governor Larry Hogan has appointed the following individuals to the Maryland bench (January 1 – March 31, 2019):

• Brynja McDivitt Booth, Court of Appeals of Maryland
• Steven Bennett Gould, Court of Special Appeals of Maryland
• Edward Gregory Wells, Court of Special Appeals of Maryland

Court News

Hecker Named Administrative Judge of Circuit Court for Carroll County

Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera, Court of Appeals of Maryland, has named Judge Fred S. Hecker county administrative judge of the Circuit Court for Carroll County, effective February 1, 2019. Hecker succeeds Judge J. Barry Hughes as administrative judge; Hughes retired April 1 after nearly 15 years on the bench. Read more…

Baltimore County Launches MDEC

Effective February 26, 2019, Baltimore County became the 21st jurisdiction, and the largest to date, to implement the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) case management system, which modernizes court processes and makes case filing more convenient for litigants. With MDEC’s launch in Baltimore County, electronic filing is now mandatory for attorneys representing clients in civil and criminal cases in district court, circuit court, and any appellate filings that start in the county. Electronic filing remains optional for self-represented litigants. Read more…

Deceptive Letter Uses Court Name and Threatens to Seize Bank Accounts of Residents, Judiciary Warns

The Maryland Judiciary is alerting the public to a potential mail scam that threatens seizure of bank accounts if residents don’t call a private company to pay tax debts. The deceptive letter has surfaced in Anne Arundel and Queen Anne Counties, but also may be happening elsewhere. Read more…

Chandlee Named Administrative Judge of Circuit Court for Calvert County

Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera, Court of Appeals of Maryland, has named Judge Mark S. Chandlee county administrative judge of the Circuit Court for Calvert County, effective March 21, 2019. Chandlee succeeds Judge E. Gregory Wells, who had served as administrative judge since March 1; Wells succeeded Judge Marjorie L. Clagett, who had been administrative judge for nearly seven years before her retirement on February 28. Read more…

Judiciary Updates, Digitizes Guide to Assist Journalists Covering Maryland Courts

A newly updated, comprehensive guide aimed at giving members of the media a better understanding of the Maryland court system is now available online. Publication of the revised Journalist’s Guide to Maryland’s Legal System coincided with the American Bar Association’s Law Day, held annually on May 1, and this year’s Law Day theme, “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society”. Read more…

Judiciary Warns of New Caller ID “Spoofing” Scam Demanding Payments for Violations

The Maryland Judiciary is warning the public about a new telephone scam that appears to originate from the Baltimore County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. The callers use a scam known as “caller ID spoofing” in which the scammers deliberately falsify the information sent to caller ID displays to hide their identity, in this case appearing as the clerk’s office. When the recipient answers the phone, the callers demand payment for various court-related items. Read more…

For more court news, visit the Maryland Judiciary online.