Philip Gregory (Greg) Hilton named clerk of the Court of Appeals of Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Matthew J. Fader announced that the Court has named Philip Gregory (Greg) Hilton as clerk of the court, effective November 10, 2022. Hilton will be sworn in by the governor today.

Hilton has served for more than a decade as clerk of the Court of Special Appeals, appointed in 2013 by the Court of Special Appeals. He also served as chief deputy clerk of the Court of Special Appeals from 2009 to 2013. Hilton replaces Suzanne C. Johnson, who has served as clerk of the Court of Appeals of Maryland since December 2018.

As head of the clerk’s office for the state’s highest appellate court, Hilton will manage the state reporter, court staff, operations, business processes, and oversee the court docket, including maintaining the official court record. He also will develop and execute the court budget. In addition, the clerk’s office maintains the attorney grievance and judicial disabilities dockets.

“Greg Hilton is uniquely qualified to fulfill the role of clerk of the court and brings his impressive court management and operations acumen to the Court of Appeals after serving nearly 15 years as clerk and chief deputy clerk on the Court of Special Appeals,” said Chief Judge Matthew J. Fader. “We look forward to his continued leadership in the appellate courts. I also extend thanks to Suzanne Johnson for her dedicated service to the Maryland Judiciary and the Court of Appeals.”

As clerk of the Court of Special Appeals, Hilton helped lead the court through the COVID-19 public health emergency as well as the transition back to pre-pandemic operations. This included the management of 40 court personnel who were working in-person and remotely to ensure the court remained fully operational throughout the pandemic. Hilton also implemented permanent court process improvements developed in response to the public health emergency.

Hilton’s duties at the Court of Special Appeals included providing legal analysis and recommendations to the chief judge and other judges regarding motions, statutes, rules, and policies. He also helped lead the appellate courts through the transition to the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) integrated case management system. Hilton spearheaded the implementation of a new scheduling process for appeals that has reduced time delays in getting pending appeals heard and decided, and he developed and implemented the court’s case-time standards, instituting a monthly tracking system for appeals.

Hilton currently serves as a member of the Maryland Judiciary Judicial Council’s Court Operations Committee, Court Management Committee, Operations Subcommittee of the Equal Justice Committee, the Technology Training Subcommittee, and other Judiciary committees and work groups. In addition, Hilton currently serves as the elected president of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks, and his term is from August 1, 2022, to July 31, 2023.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected for this critical role at the Court of Appeals,” said Greg Hilton. “I appreciate the Court’s trust in me to lead the clerk’s office for Maryland’s highest appellate court.”  

Prior to joining the Court of Special Appeals clerk’s office, Hilton served as an attorney and officer at Corbin, Schaffer & Aviles from 1999 to 2007, where he was a principal trial and appellate litigation attorney and an officer of the corporation. He also served as an attorney at Shaffer & Solomon, P.A., from 1996 to 1999. Hilton served as a law clerk to Judge C. Philip Nichols, Jr., Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, from 1995 to 1996.

Hilton is a retired commissioned officer of the United States Navy, serving on reserve and active duty from 1987 through 2017. He is a U.S. Naval Academy Blue and Gold Officer. Hilton served active duty for Operation Enduring Freedom from 2007 to 2008 as chief of staff for the Regional Corps Advisory Command in Gardez, Afghanistan, where he directed the efforts of 200 military combat advisors in Eastern Afghanistan. He also executed a contingency contracting budget to provide humanitarian assistance and operational support to Afghan military commanders and oversaw the completion of a congressionally funded courthouse construction project. Hilton led three divisions of enlisted personnel on a U.S. Navy ship during deployment from 1987 to1992, and he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Hilton earned a juris doctorate from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., a Master of Arts in National Security Studies at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. He has been a member of the Maryland State Bar since 1995 and he is a member of the Maryland Bar Foundation. Hilton is also a member of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Court Management. He also served on the board of trustees of the St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal School in Severna Park, Maryland, from 2006 to 2015.