Appellate Court of Maryland

Last updated

Appellate Court of Maryland
Appellate Court of Maryland Seal.png
Established1966
Location Annapolis, Maryland, United States
Composition methodAppointment by the Governor of Maryland
Authorized byMd. Courts and Judicial Proceedings Code Ann. § 1-401
Number of positions15
Chief Judge
Currently E. Gregory Wells
SinceApril 15, 2022

The Appellate Court of Maryland is the intermediate appellate court for the U.S. state of Maryland. The Appellate Court of Maryland was created in 1966 in response to the rapidly growing caseload in the Supreme Court of Maryland. Like the state's highest court, the tribunal meets in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building in the state capital, Annapolis.

Contents

The Appellate Court of Maryland originally could hear only criminal cases. However, its jurisdiction has expanded so that it now considers any reviewable judgment, decree, order, or other action of the circuit and orphans’ courts, unless otherwise provided by law. Judges sitting on the Appellate Court of Maryland generally hear and decide cases in panels of three. In some instances, however, all 15 judges may listen to a case, known as an en banc hearing.

A ballot proposal in the 2022 general election asked Maryland voters whether to change the court's name from the Maryland Court of Special Appeals to the Appellate Court of Maryland. [1] The measure was approved by 74.2% of voters on November 8, 2022. [2] [3] It changed to this name on December 14, 2022. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Judges

Appointment and qualifications

Seal as the Court of Special Appeals. Seal of the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland.jpg
Seal as the Court of Special Appeals.

The fifteen judges of the Appellate Court of Maryland are appointed by the Governor of Maryland with Senate consent. They serve ten-year terms.

The Judges of the court are required to be citizens of and qualified voters in Maryland. Prior to their appointment, they must have resided in Maryland for at least five years, and for at least six months in the appellate judicial circuit from which they are appointed. They must be at least thirty years of age at the time of appointment, and must have been admitted to practice law in Maryland. Appointees should be "most distinguished for integrity, wisdom and sound legal knowledge."

After initial appointment by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate, members of the court, at the first general election occurring at least one year after their appointment, run for continuance in office on their records without opposition. If the voters reject the retention in office of a judge, or the vote is tied, the office becomes vacant. Otherwise, the incumbent judge is retained in office for a ten-year term. This requirement of voter approval is similar to provisions of the Missouri Plan, a non-partisan method for selecting judges which is used by 11 states.

There are eight at large judges and one judge from each of the state's seven Judicial Circuits; the latter are required to be a resident of his or her respective circuit. The circuits are currently as follows:

Maryland Judicial Circuits

CircuitCounties
1 Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester counties
2 Baltimore County and Harford County
3 Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, and Washington counties
4 Prince George's County
5 Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties
6 Baltimore City
7 Montgomery County

Current judges

CircuitJudge [10] BornJoinedTerm endsMandatory retirementAppointed byLaw school
At-large E. Gregory Wells , Chief JudgeJune 28, 1961 (age 62)April 18, 201920302031 Larry Hogan (R) Virginia
3rdKathryn Grill GraeffSeptember 2, 20082030 Martin O'Malley (D) Maryland
At-largeStuart R. Berger1959 (age 6465)January 25, 201220322029 Martin O'Malley (D) Baltimore
2ndDouglas R.M. NazarianOctober 30, 1966 (age 57)January 8, 201320242036 Martin O'Malley (D) Duke
At-largeKevin F. ArthurMarch 18, 20142024 Martin O'Malley (D)Maryland
At-largeAndrea M. LeahyMarch 18, 20142024 Martin O'Malley (D) WCL
6thMichael W. ReedMarch 18, 20142024 Martin O'Malley (D) GW Law
At-largeDaniel A. FriedmanAugust 27, 1965 (age 58)September 23, 201420262035 Martin O'Malley (D)Maryland
At-largeDonald E. Beachley1956 (age 6768)June 20, 201620282026 Larry Hogan (R)Maryland
4thMelanie M. Shaw1957 (age 6667)June 20, 201620282027 Larry Hogan (R)Maryland
At-largeTerrence M. R. ZicNovember 10, 20202032 Larry Hogan (R) Georgetown
5thLaura S. Ripken1964 (age 5960)January 17, 202120322034 Larry Hogan (R) Catholic
7thRosalyn Tang1980 (age 4344)March 3, 202220322050 Larry Hogan (R) Dedman
At-largeAnne K. Albright1961 (age 6263)April 20, 202220242031 Larry Hogan (R)Georgetown
1stStephen H. Kehoe1958 (age 6566)April 11, 202420342028 Wes Moore (D) Case Western Reserve

See also

Related Research Articles

In the United States, a state supreme court is the highest court in the state judiciary of a U.S. state. On matters of state law, the judgment of a state supreme court is considered final and binding in both state and federal courts.

The government of the U.S. state of Missouri is organized into the state government and local government, including county government, and city and municipal government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tennessee Supreme Court</span> Highest court in the U.S. state of Tennessee

The Tennessee Supreme Court is the highest court in the state of Tennessee. The Supreme Court's three buildings are seated in Nashville, Knoxville, and Jackson, Tennessee. The Court is composed of five members: a chief justice, and four justices. As of September 1, 2023, the chief justice is Holly M. Kirby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitutional Reform Act 2005</span> Constitutional reform of the UK Judiciary

The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, relevant to UK constitutional law. It provides for a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to take over the previous appellate jurisdiction of the Law Lords as well as some powers of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and removed the functions of Speaker of the House of Lords and Head of the Judiciary of England and Wales from the office of Lord Chancellor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme Court of Maryland</span> Highest court in the U.S. state of Maryland

The Supreme Court of Maryland is the highest court of the U.S. state of Maryland. The court, which is composed of one chief justice and six associate justices, meets in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building in the state capital, Annapolis. The term of the Court begins the second Monday of September. The Court is unique among American courts in that the justices wear red robes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Maryland</span> State government of the United States

The government of Maryland is conducted according to the Maryland Constitution. The United States is a federation; consequently, the government of Maryland, like the other 49 state governments, has exclusive authority over matters that lie entirely within the state's borders, except as limited by the Constitution of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Supreme Court</span> Highest court in the U.S. state of North Carolina

The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists of six associate justices and one chief justice, although the number of justices has varied. The primary function of the Supreme Court is to decide questions of law that have arisen in the lower courts and before state administrative agencies.

The current Constitution of the State of Maryland, which was ratified by the people of the state on September 18, 1867, forms the basic law for the U.S. state of Maryland. It replaced the short-lived Maryland Constitution of 1864 and is the fourth constitution under which the state has been governed. It was last amended in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme Court of Florida</span> Highest court in the U.S. state of Florida

The Supreme Court of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. It consists of seven justices—one of whom serves as Chief Justice. Six members are chosen from six districts around the state to foster geographic diversity, and one is selected at large.

The Alaska Supreme Court is the state supreme court for the U.S. state of Alaska. Its decisions are binding on all other Alaska state courts, and the only court its decisions may be appealed to is the Supreme Court of the United States. The Alaska Supreme Court hears appeals from lower state courts and also administers the state's judicial system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma Supreme Court</span> One of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is a court of appeal for non-criminal cases, one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and leads the judiciary of Oklahoma, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma.

The Constitution of the State of Ohio is the basic governing document of the State of Ohio, which in 1803 became the 17th state to join the United States of America. Ohio has had three constitutions since statehood was granted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)</span> Highest court in the U.S. state of Georgia

The Supreme Court of Georgia is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Georgia. The court was established in 1845 as a three-member panel, increased in number to six, then to seven in 1945, and finally to nine in 2017. Since 1896, the justices have been elected by the people of the state. The justices are currently elected in statewide non-partisan elections for six-year terms, with any vacancies filled through an appointment by the Governor.

The Tennessee Plan is a system used to appoint and elect appellate court judges in Tennessee. It is largely patterned after the Missouri Plan, and an earlier version in Tennessee was called the Modified Missouri Plan. At the end of every judge's eight-year term following a judicial appointment to the highest courts, retention elections are held, which have the option of whether each judge shall be retained through a yes-no option. This system applies to the Tennessee Supreme Court, the Tennessee Court of Appeals, and the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Mexico Supreme Court</span> Highest court in the U.S. state of New Mexico

The New Mexico Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is established and its powers defined by Article VI of the New Mexico Constitution. It is primarily an appellate court which reviews civil and criminal decisions of New Mexico's trial courts of general jurisdiction and certain specialized legislative courts, only having original jurisdiction in a limited number of actions. It currently resides in the New Mexico Supreme Court Building in Santa Fe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals</span> One of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and is part of the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the Oklahoma state government.

The Georgia Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level appellate court for the U.S. state of Georgia. The court is a single entity with 15 judges. The judges are assigned into five divisions of three judges each, with the assignments changed annually. Cases are randomly assigned to one of the divisions, with the constraint that the number of active cases in each division is kept close to equal. Its courtroom is on the second floor of the Nathan Deal Judicial Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina Court of Appeals</span> Intermediate appellate court of South Carolina

The South Carolina Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level appellate court for the state of South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme Court of Mississippi</span> Highest court in the U.S. state of Mississippi

The Supreme Court of Mississippi is the highest court in the state of Mississippi. It was established in 1818 per the terms of the first constitution of the state and was known as the High Court of Errors and Appeals from 1832 to 1869. The court is an appellate court. The court consists of nine justices elected in nonpartisan contests from three districts to serve eight-year terms. The most senior justice serves as the chief justice. It is housed in the Carroll Gartin Justice Building in Jackson, Mississippi, the state capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gun laws in Maryland</span> Marylands gun law

Gun laws in Maryland regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of Maryland.

References

  1. Lash, Steve (April 7, 2021). "Md. voters will vote on name change for appeals courts". The Daily Record . Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  2. Munro, Dana; Opilo, Emily (November 9, 2022). "Maryland to require legislators to live in their districts; state will rename its high court". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  3. "Election Day was a "Namechanger": Voters Successfully Rename Maryland's Appellate Courts". November 13, 2022.
  4. Lash, Steve (November 29, 2022). "Maryland's appellate courts will get new names Dec. 14". The Daily Record . Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  5. "Voter-approved constitutional change renames high courts to Supreme and Appellate Court of Maryland | Maryland Courts". www.courts.state.md.us.
  6. "Maryland Appellate Court Opinions | Maryland Courts". www.mdcourts.gov.
  7. "Renaming Maryland's Appellate Courts". judicature.duke.edu. June 21, 2023.
  8. Courts, Maryland Voters Approved a Constitutional Amendment Renaming Two Appellate. "Maryland Voters Approved a Constitutional Amendment Renaming Two Appellate Courts". Franklin & Prokopik, P.C.
  9. Staff, CBS Baltimore (December 14, 2022). "The Court of Appeals of Maryland is now the Supreme Court of Maryland - CBS Baltimore". www.cbsnews.com.
  10. "Judges of the Appellate Court of Maryland". Maryland Courts.