Governor O’Malley Announces Judicial Appointments

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Feb. 24 -- Gov. Martin O'Malley, D-Md., issued the following news release:

Governor O'Malley announced today the appointment of twenty-three judges who will serve across Maryland. The twenty-three men and women appointed represent the geographic and ethnic diversity of the State of Maryland, and all the appointees share in common their exceptional qualifications to serve as judges in our state.

"The appointment of judges is one of the most important responsibilities of any chief executive," said Governor O'Malley. "I take this responsibility seriously, and am pleased to announce today the appointment of twenty-three highly qualified, diverse candidates from across the State to serve on Maryland's bench."

Governor O'Malley interviewed every candidate recommended by the trial court and appellate judicial nominating commissions. All of the judges appointed were recommended by the commissions.

Governor O'Malley announced the appointment of three judges to the Court of Special Appeals.

Judge Michael Wilson Reed has served on the Circuit Court for Baltimore City since 2011. Prior to his appointment to the Circuit Court bench, Judge Reed practiced as a litigator for over twenty years in both the public and private sectors. His public service included five years as an Assistant Attorney General at the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene and eleven years as an Assistant State's Attorney for Baltimore City. Judge Reed is the President-Elect of the Bar Association of Baltimore City. He earned a law degree from George Washington University'sNational Law Center and an undergraduate degree from College of the Holy Cross.

Andrea Margaretta Leahy-Fucheck has been a partner with the firm of Leahy & DeSmet, LLC since 2006. Previously, she served as Chief Legal Counsel to Governor Parris Glendening, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Associate County Attorney for Prince George's County, and Of Counsel at Whiteford Taylor Preston LLP. Ms. Leahy-Fucheck also served as a member of the State Ethics Commission and was twice named as one of the Daily Record's Top 100 Women. She earned a law degree from American University'sWashington College of Law and a bachelor of arts from Catholic University.

Kevin Francis Arthur is a principal with Kramon & Graham PA, where he has spent his entire legal career. Mr. Arthur has represented clients in state and federal courts throughout the United States, in regulatory proceedings before state and federal agencies, and in arbitration cases, including cases before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. He has also served on bar committees examining best practices in civil pattern jury instructions and appellate advocacy, and he is the current chair of the Maryland State Bar Association'sCommittee on Laws. Mr. Arthur earned a law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Governor O'Malley made five appointments to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.

Judge Shannon Avery has served on the District Court for Baltimore City since 2010. Judge Avery has spent her entire legal career in public service, including as Executive Director of the Office of Planning, Policy, Regulations and Statistics at the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Appeals Division; Special Assistant State's Attorney in Montgomery County; and Assistant Public Defender in the Appellate Division. She earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Towson University.

Judge Melissa Kaye Copeland has served on the District Court for Baltimore City since 2012. Prior to that appointment, she worked as an Assistant State's Attorney for Baltimore City. She spent her last seven years in that office serving as Deputy Division Chief of the Narcotics Division and received numerous awards from federal and local law enforcement agencies. Judge Copeland is a former secretary of the Monumental Bar Association, and she began her legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable Bonita Dancy of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Judge Copeland earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Judge Karen Friedman has served on the District Court for Baltimore City since 2010. Prior to that appointment, she spent nine years as a Judge on the Orphans' Court of Baltimore City and several years at Willner and Associates practicing family law. Judge Friedman has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Baltimore City Bench/Bar Committee, the Simon Sobeloff Law Society, and the National Association of Women Judges. She earned a law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Michael Anthony DiPietro has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland in the Civil Division since 2000. In that position, he has worked on numerous cases under the False Claims Act, and he received a Department of Justice award for his work related to wartime contracting. Previously, he served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Investigations Division and an Assistant State's Attorney for Baltimore County. Mr. DiPietro earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Loyola University.

Cynthia Holly Jones is an Assistant Commissioner of Enforcement and Services in the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation at the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Previously, she served as Deputy State's Attorney for investigations in Baltimore City, as an assistant to the Baltimore City Comptroller and Board of Estimates, and as a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Bureau. Ms. Jones began her career as a middle school teacher. She earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Chatham College.

For the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Governor O'Malley has appointed three individuals to serve as trial court judges.

Colleen Ann Cavanaugh has served for the past seven years as a judge for the Orphans' Court of Baltimore County, including as Chief Judge from 2007 to 2009. Judge Cavanaugh has also worked in private practice for over twenty years, where she has specialized most recently in family law and civil litigation. She received a law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and an undergraduate degree from American University. Judge Cavanaugh serves on the Board of Directors of Turn Around, Inc., an organization which provides counseling and support services to individuals affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Julie Glass is a Division Chief with the State's Attorney's Office for Baltimore City. She previously served as Division Chief of the Firearms Investigation and Violence Enforcement Unit, Co-Leader of the Gang Initiative Enforcement Section, Team Captain of the Felony Narcotics Division, and a homicide prosecutor. Ms. Glass graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law and the University of Delaware.

Paul Joseph Hanley has served for the past 18 years as a Master in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Matters in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County. Until 2008, Mr. Hanley also maintained a diverse private practice, focused primarily in domestic relations, real estate, estate planning, consumer bankruptcy, and personal injury matters. Mr. Hanley graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law and Loyola College of Maryland.

For the Circuit Court for Charles County, Governor O'Malley has appointed Hayward James "Jay" West. Since 2005, Mr. West has practiced with the law firm Alpert Schreyer, LLC, representing clients in both civil and criminal matters. He received a law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to earning his degrees, Mr. West served as an Intelligence Analyst in the United States Army and a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Mr. West is a member of the Board of Directors and former President of The Jude House Inc., an organization providing services to individuals struggling with chemical dependencies.

Governor O'Malley elevated Judge Audrey Creighton to the Circuit Court for Montgomery County. Since 2010, Judge Audrey Creighton has served on the District Court for Montgomery County. She previously served as an Assistant Public Defender for Montgomery County, where she received numerous awards for outstanding service. She also worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Appeals Division, an associate at Rabineau & Peregoff, and a law clerk to the Honorable Richard Gilbert of the Court of Special Appeals. Judge Creighton has been a member of the Sixth Judicial Circuit's Character Committee for the past six years and was a former president of the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association. She earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

For the Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Governor O'Malley has elevated District Court Judge Lawrence Vincent Hill Jr. Judge Hill has served as a District Court judge since 2008. He previously worked in the Office of the Public Defender and in private practice. Judge Hill graduated from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and Hampton University.

For the Circuit Court for Wicomico County, Governor O'Malley has appointed Spyros James "Jimmy" Sarbanes. Mr. Sarbanes is a partner with the law firm of Laws & Sarbanes, P.A., with a general practice focused primarily in civil litigation. He received a law degree from the Widener University School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Salisbury University. Mr. Sarbanes has served on the Board of Directors of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and as President of Life Crisis Center, an organization serving individuals impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.

Governor O'Malley made five appointments to the District Court for Baltimore City.

David Brian Aldouby has spent his 21-year legal career serving as a public defender in Baltimore City. Since 2000, Mr. Aldouby has served as that office's Supervising Attorney for Early Resolution Court. He earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Rutgers University.

Since 1994, Judge Joyce Maezeppa Baylor-Thompson has served on the Orphans' Court of Baltimore City, including as Chief Judge for the last thirteen years. She has also maintained a solo general practice since 1998, concentrating on domestic relations. Judge Baylor-Thompson earned a law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, a master's degree in social work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an undergraduate degree from Morgan State University.

James "Jim" Green has worked for the Baltimore Police Department since 2002 in various capacities--as the Director of Government Affairs, as Deputy Chief Legal Counsel, and as Director of Special Projects where he assisted with the development of law enforcement operational policy and strategy. He also previously worked as a Special Assistant United States Attorney and an Assistant State's Attorney. He graduated from George Washington University'sNational Law Center and Dickinson College.

Flynn Marcus Owens maintains a solo practice as a criminal defense attorney, representing clients in state and federal courts, in trials and appellate proceedings. Previously, Mr. Owens served for twelve years in the Office of the Public Defender for Baltimore County. He earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Towson University.

Diana A.E. Smith has spent her legal career serving in the State's Attorney's Office for Baltimore City. Since 2009, she has served as a Supervisor. She previously worked as a District Court Commissioner. Ms. Smith earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Morgan State University.

For the District Court for Charles County, Governor O'Malley has appointed Master Andrea R.S. Watkins. Master Watkins has served as a Master for Domestic Relations and Juvenile Causes in the Circuit Court for Charles County since 2007. Prior to her service as a Master, she served as an Assistant County Attorney for Charles County and practiced family law. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and Mount St. Mary's College.

Governor O'Malley made two appointments to the District Court for Montgomery County

Eric John Nee has served for the past 15 years as an Assistant State's Attorney for Montgomery County, where he is currently assigned to the Major Crimes Division. Previously, Mr. Nee worked at the National Transportation Safety Board, both as the Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity office and an attorney advisor. He began his career as an Assistant State's Attorney in Prince George's County. Mr. Nee earned a law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Margaret Marie Schweitzer has spent her legal career with the State's Attorney's Office for Montgomery County, serving in many different capacities: as a member of the major crimes felony trial unit, as Chief of the District Court, as the liaison for Drug Court, and as the Director of Professional Development and Post-Conviction Remedies. She received her law degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

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