Maryland Judicial Vacancies

Pool Candidates

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.
Circuit Court for Allegany County

NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, interviews with the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission will be conducted virtually, rather than in-person.

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable W. Timothy Finan

Close Date @4:30pm:
09/23/2020
Applicants Pool **:

Jessica Lynne Colwell
Sivan Ramani Pillai
Michael Oliver Twigg

Comm. Mtg:
10-23-2020
Nominees Pool **:

Jessica Lynne Colwell
Sivan Ramani Pillai
Michael Oliver Twigg

Court of Special Appeals (At Large)
Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Alexander Wright, Jr.

Close Date @4:30pm:
12/16/2019
Applicants Pool **:

Honorable Krystal Quinn Alves
Russell Paul Butler
Kurt James Fischer
Rickey Nelson Jones
Steven Michael Klepper
James Bradford McCullough
Honorable Erik Howard Nyce
Michael Patrick Redmond
Eldridge Eugene Rice, Jr.
Steven Lee Tiedemann
Tara Sky Woodward
Terrence Mark Ranko Zic
**Honorable Judith Claibourne Ensor
**Honorable Lawrence Paul Fletcher-Hill
**Brian Scott Kleinbord
**Rachel Theora McGuckian
**Phillip Robert Zuber

Comm. Mtg:
02-04-2020
Nominees Pool **:

Kurt James Fischer
James Bradford McCullough
Tara Sky Woodward
Terrence Mark Ranko Zic
**Honorable Judith Claibourne Ensor
**Honorable Lawrence Paul Fletcher-Hill
**Brian Scott Kleinbord
**Rachel Theora McGuckian
**Phillip Robert Zuber

Appointed (Date of Appointment):

Terrence Mark Ranko Zic (10/1/2020)

District Court for Prince George's County

NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, interviews with the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission will be conducted virtually, rather than in-person.

Reason for Vacancy:

Resignation of the Honorable Joseph L. Wright

Close Date @4:30pm:
11/19/2020
Applicants Pool **:

**Gerald A. A. Collins
**Laura Joy Novello Fuggitti
**Llamilet Gutierrez
**William Carl Isler, II 
**Althea Rebecca Stewart Jones
**Alison Yvette Leonard-Leach
**Melissa Alesia Pryce Rodriguez
**Revee Michaela Walters
**Rhonda Alexis Wood

Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
District Court for Baltimore County

NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, interviews with the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission will be conducted virtually, rather than in-person.

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Sally C. Chester

Close Date @4:30pm:
11/19/2020
Applicants Pool **:
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Circuit Court for Baltimore County

NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, interviews with the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission will be conducted virtually, rather than in-person.

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Mickey J. Norman

Close Date @4:30pm:
10/01/2020
Applicants Pool **:

Michael Salvatore Barranco
Andrew Michael Belt
Jo Ann Camm
Ari Jason Kodeck
Honorable Stacy Adele Mayer
Dilip Barrid Paliath
Jennifer Warfield Ritter
Ralph Laurence Sapia
Stuart Alan Schadt
Wendy Zerwitz Schenker
Lisa Yvette Settles
Ephraim R. Siff
William Joseph Somerville (withdrew)
**Mary Cina Chalawsky
**Garret Peter Glennon
**Kristine Anne Howanski
**Margaret Moran McKee

Comm. Mtg:
10-28-2020
Nominees Pool **:
Court of Special Appeals (Fifth Appellate Judicial Circuit)

The Fifth Appellate Judicial Circuit is comprised of the following jurisdictions:  Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles & St. Mary's Counties

NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time. 

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Timothy E. Meredith

Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:

**Tara Sky Woodward

Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
District Court for Caroline County

NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, interviews with the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission will be conducted virtually, rather than in-person.

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Douglas H. Everngam

Close Date @4:30pm:
09/23/2020
Applicants Pool **:

Dennis Joseph Farina
Maureen Derrig Keogh
Heather Lynne Price
Joseph Albert Riley
Rene Cynthia Swafford
James Thomas Worm

Comm. Mtg:
10-22-2020
Nominees Pool **:

Dennis Joseph Farina
Maureen Derrig Keogh
Heather Lynne Price

Circuit Court for Baltimore City

NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, interviews with the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission will be conducted virtually, rather than in-person.

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Wanda Keyes Heard

Close Date @4:30pm:
08/05/2020
Applicants Pool **:

Erik Samuel Atas
Paul Joseph Cucuzzella
Gregory Dolin
Honorable William Michael Dunn (withdrew)
Mark Joseph Austra Jaskulski
Darren Lee Kadish
Kimberly Charon McBride
Myshala Emunah Middleton
Martin Harold Schreiber, II
Honorable Michael Stephen Studdard
Steven Lee Tiedemann
**Charles Mario Blomquist
**Honorable Flynn Marcus Owens
**Hope Tipton

Comm. Mtg:
09-14-2020
Nominees Pool **:

Erik Samuel Atas
Paul Joseph Cucuzzella
Darren Lee Kadish
Myshala Emunah Middleton
Martin Harold Schreiber, II
**Charles Mario Blomquist
**Honorable Flynn Marcus Owens
**Hope Tipton

Circuit Court for Wicomico County

NOTE:  Due to COVID-19, interviews with the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission will be conducted virtually, rather than in-person.

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Leah J. Seaton

Close Date @4:30pm:
08/06/2020
Applicants Pool **:

James Leo Britt
Karen Martin Dean
Jamie Lynn Dykes
Jenifer Susan Goolie
Kendra Elise Hayward
Mark Andrew Tyler
Andrew Alan Whitehead

Comm. Mtg:
09-24-2020
Nominees Pool **:

Karen Martin Dean
Kendra Elise Hayward
Mark Andrew Tyler
 

Circuit Court for Carroll County

NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time. 

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Thomas F. Stansfield

Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:

**Laura Guadalupe Morton-Coleman
**Samantha Zanger Smith

Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
District Court for Baltimore City

NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time. 

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable Kathleen M. Sweeney

Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:

**Stephan Wayne Fogleman, Jr.       
**Kay Natalie Harding
**Carol Magid Johnson
**Kimberly Charon McBride
**Lydia Susan Robinson

Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
District Court for Baltimore City

NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time. 

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable C. Yvonne Holt-Stone

Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:

**Stephan Wayne Fogleman, Jr.
**Kay Natalie Harding
**Carol Magid Johnson
**Kimberly Charon McBride
**Lydia Susan Robinson

Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Circuit Court for Charles County

NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time. 

Reason for Vacancy:

Honorable Amy J. Bragunier Vacancy

Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:

**Honorable William Louis Hennessy

Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Circuit Court for Baltimore City

NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time. 

Reason for Vacancy:

Retirement of the Honorable W. Michel Pierson

Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:

**Charles Mario Blomquist
**Honorable Flynn Marcus Owens
**Hope Tipton

Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
District Court for Anne Arundel County
Reason for Vacancy:

New Judgeship (Chapter 749 of the 2019 Legislative Session)

Close Date @4:30pm:
09/18/2019
Applicants Pool **:

Karen Maria Authement
Kathleen Ebersole Byrne
Thomas Francis Casey
Christine Marie Celeste
Frank Chester Gray, Jr.
John Francis Gunning
Mark Wayne Howes
Rickey Nelson Jones
Melissa Brooke McKay
Kelly Michele Poma
Richard Robert Trunnell
**Kemp Walden Hammond
**Michael Lee May
**Mai-Thy (Christine) Phuong Pham (withdrew)

Comm. Mtg:
11-12-2019
Nominees Pool **:

Kathleen Ebersole Byrne
Frank Chester Gray, Jr. (withdrew)
Kelly Michele Poma
**Kemp Walden Hammond
**Michael Lee May
**Mai-Thy (Christine) Phuong Pham (withdrew)

District Court for Baltimore City

NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time. 

Reason for Vacancy:

Honorable Devy P. Russell Vacancy

Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:

**Stephan Wayne Fogleman, Jr.
**Kay Natalie Harding
**Carol Magid Johnson
**Kimberly Charon McBride
**Lydia Susan Robinson

 

Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:

**Individuals who were nominated for a judicial vacancy but who were not appointed by the Governor become part of a pool that will be considered automatically for each vacancy on the same court occurring within two years after submission of the initial list.