Maryland Judicial Vacancies
The Judicial Nominating Commissions select and nominate to the Governor persons found by the Commission to be legally and most fully professionally qualified to fill a vacancy. The table includes all current vacancies. Once the close date to a vacancy passes, the names of all applicants will be listed. The public is encouraged to participate in the selection process by submitting written and signed comments concerning the qualifications of an applicant to The Judicial Nominating Commission, c/o The Administrative Office of the Courts, Human Resources, 187 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Fourth Floor, Annapolis, Maryland 21401. The comments must be received at least one week prior to the Commission meeting date shown in the table below.
The Nominating Commission meets to interview all candidates. Thereafter a voting session takes place and the names of nominees are reported to the Governor. When approval is granted by the Governor's Office, the names of the individuals nominated by the Commission will be listed in the table below.
Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this table. Please recognize, however, that this list does not constitute official notification of individuals nominated for, or appointed to, a judicial vacancy. Rather, the official list of candidates for a vacancy is compiled by the Administrative Office of the Courts and sent to the Governor's Office. The Governor's Office officially notifies the appointed individual and releases an official notice to the public. When an appointment to a vacancy is announced by the Governor's Office, the name is highlighted in red.
NOTE: Please only submit applications for vacancies that have a closing date listed.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable L. Robert Cooper
Close Date @4:30pm:
06/20/2025
Applicants Pool **:
Oana Adela Brooks
Ernie Dominguez
Brittany Jetrice Dunklow
Elizabeth Benton Fisher
Otis Wendell Freeman
Benjamin Michael Grossman
Jennifer Erin Keyser
Elizabeth López
Noelle Winder Newman
Krystle Lynn Sanders
Shomari Akil Taylor
**Kristin Elizabeth Blumer
**James Burke Miller
Comm. Mtg:
07-14-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Brittany Jetrice Dunklow
Otis Wendell Freeman
Elizabeth López
Noelle Winder Newman
**Kristin Elizabeth Blumer
**James Burke Miller
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Eileen A. Reilly
Close Date @4:30pm:
08/20/2025
Applicants Pool **:
**Shawn Thomas Gaither
**Colin Matthew Kelly
**Kelly Michele Poma
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
READVERTISEMENT
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable J. Michael Wachs
Close Date @4:30pm:
08/20/2025
Applicants Pool **:
**Richard John Berwanger, Jr.
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Quincy L. Coleman
Close Date @4:30pm:
05/15/2025
Applicants Pool **:
Natasha Monique Byus
Magistrate Maurice Clyde Frazier
Jason Neil Greenberg
Rotrica Shalice Neal
Rebecca Anne Niburg
Robyn Carol Scates
**Jason Andrew Steinhardt
Comm. Mtg:
07-01-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Magistrate Maurice Clyde Frazier
Rotrica Shalice Neal
**Jason Andrew Steinhardt
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Earl W. Bartgis, Jr.
Close Date @4:30pm:
05/15/2025
Applicants Pool **:
Brett Joann Engler
Stephen Joseph Musselman
Christine Marie Remsburg
Stephen Gordon Slater
Stacey Ellen Ostfeld Steinmetz
Michele Dawn Witherow-Williams
Comm. Mtg:
06-24-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Brett Joann Engler
Christine Marie Remsburg
Stacey Ellen Ostfeld Steinmetz
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Resignation of the Honorable Zuberi B. Williams
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Andrea R. S. Watkins
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Gerald V. Purnell
Close Date @4:30pm:
06/12/2025
Applicants Pool **:
Heather Leigh Allison Clarke
Patrizia Juliana Coletta
Chris Schiller Mason
Kristina Louise Watkowski
**Michael William Farlow
**David Charles Gaskill
**Regan James Reno Smith
Comm. Mtg:
07-28-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Mary M. Kent
Close Date @4:30pm:
06/12/2025
Applicants Pool **:
Magistrate Diane Genevieve Marie-Jeanne Karsnitz
Chris Schiller Mason
Lenora Fanelli Mihavetz
Kristina Louise Watkowski
Comm. Mtg:
07-28-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Joan E. Ryon
Close Date @4:30pm:
01/31/2025
Applicants Pool **:
Damon LaMonte Bell
David Edgar Booth, Jr.
James Joseph Dietrich
David Keith Felsen
Mary Ellen Flynn
Judge Frederic Paul Gallun
Magistrate Robert Jay Goldman
Paul Gerard Griffin
Magistrate Lena Yejoon Kim
Magistrate Sarah Ilyas Malik
Keith Joseph Rosa
David Mitchell Schoenfeld
Vincent Michael Wills
Carlotta Ann Woodward
Seth Bradley Zucker
Comm. Mtg:
05-01-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Damon LaMonte Bell
James Joseph Dietrich
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Joyce M. Baylor-Thompson
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**Kristin Elizabeth Blumer
**James Burke Miller
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable H. Jack Price, Jr.
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Susan H. Hazlett
Close Date @4:30pm:
12/19/2024
Applicants Pool **:
Jason Isaac Allen
Stefanie Lee Ann Burton-Bragg
Gavin Malachi Patashnick
Albert Joseph Peisinger
Schniqua Latae Roberts
Shawn Vinson
**Jessica Russo Bancroft
**Angela Chong Diehl
**Harrison Earl Greene, III
**Lawrence Francis Kreis, Jr.
**Donald Foster Walter, Jr.
Comm. Mtg:
01-30-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Gavin Malachi Patashnick
**Jessica Russo Bancroft
**Angela Chong Diehl
**Harrison Earl Greene, III
**Lawrence Francis Kreis, Jr.
**Donald Foster Walter, Jr.
Reason for Vacancy:
Elevation of the Honorable Peter K. Killough to the Supreme Court of Maryland
Retirement of the Honorable Herman C. Dawson
Close Date @4:30pm:
11/25/2024
Applicants Pool **:
Honorable Donnaka Varner Lewis
Scott LaMarr Little
Angela Denise Minor
Sherrie Marie Waldrup
**Honorable Stacey Maria Cobb Smith
**Rhonda Alexis Wood
**William Carl Isler, II
Comm. Mtg:
01-27-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Honorable Donnaka Varner Lewis
Sherrie Marie Waldrup
**Honorable Stacey Maria Cobb Smith
**Rhonda Alexis Wood
**William Carl Isler, II
Reason for Vacancy:
Elevation of the Honorable LaKeecia R. Allen to the Circuit Court
Elevation of the Honorable Ada E. Clark-Edwards to the Circuit Court
Close Date @4:30pm:
11/25/2024
Applicants Pool **:
Honorable Wendy Alise Cartwright
Jessica Lowell Garth
Kamilah Olisa House
Chanel Monique Jackson
Melissa Alesia Pryce
Sherrie Marie Waldrup
Stephen Jerome Williams
**Magistrate Bruce Dermion Edwards
**William Carl Isler, II
**Rhonda Alexis Wood
Comm. Mtg:
01-27-2025
Nominees Pool **:
Jessica Lowell Garth
Melissa Alesia Pryce
Sherrie Marie Waldrup
**Magistrate Bruce Dermion Edwards
**William Carl Isler, II
**Rhonda Alexis Wood
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Judy L. Woodall
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**William Carl Isler, II
**Honorable Stacey Maria Cobb Smith
**Rhonda Alexis Wood
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Harry C. Storm
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **: