United States District Court for the District of Maryland
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | |
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(D. Md.) | |
Location | Edward A. Garmatz U.S. Courthouse (Baltimore) show More locations |
Appeals to | Fourth Circuit |
Established | September 24, 1789 |
Judges | 10 |
Chief Judge | James K. Bredar |
Officers of the court | |
U.S. Attorney | Jonathan F. Lenzner (acting) |
U.S. Marshal | Johnny L. Hughes |
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The United States District Court for the District of Maryland (in case citations, D. Md.) is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Maryland.
Appeals from the District of Maryland are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
Notable past judges of this district include William Paca, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.
The United States Attorney for the District of Maryland represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. As of February 15, 2021, the Acting U.S. Attorney is Jonathan F. Lenzner.[1]
Organization of the court[]
Under 28 U.S.C. § 100, Maryland consists of a single federal judicial district with two statutory divisions.
Northern Division[]
The Northern Division includes Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, Worcester counties and the City of Baltimore, is located in Baltimore, while the statute also provides for the court to sit in Cumberland and Denton. The Court also maintains an unstaffed location in Salisbury, Maryland.[2]
Southern Division[]
The Southern Division includes Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's, and St. Mary's counties and sits in Greenbelt.
Current judges[]
As of July 20, 2021:
# | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Active | Chief | Senior | ||||||
43 | Chief Judge | James K. Bredar | Baltimore | 1957 | 2010–present | 2017–present | — | Obama |
44 | District Judge | Ellen Lipton Hollander | Baltimore | 1949 | 2010–present | — | — | Obama |
45 | District Judge | George Levi Russell III | Baltimore | 1965 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
46 | District Judge | Paul W. Grimm | Greenbelt | 1951 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
47 | District Judge | Theodore D. Chuang | Greenbelt | 1969 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
48 | District Judge | George J. Hazel | Greenbelt | 1975 | 2014–present | — | — | Obama |
49 | District Judge | Paula Xinis | Greenbelt | 1968 | 2016–present | — | — | Obama |
50 | District Judge | Stephanie A. Gallagher | Baltimore | 1972 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
51 | District Judge | Deborah Boardman | Baltimore | 1974 | 2021–present | — | — | Biden |
52 | District Judge | Lydia Kay Griggsby | Baltimore | 1968 | 2021–present | — | — | Biden |
29 | Senior Judge | J. Frederick Motz | Baltimore | 1942 | 1985–2010 | 1994–2001 | 2010–present | Reagan |
33 | Senior Judge | William M. Nickerson | inactive | 1933 | 1990–2002 | — | 2002–present | G.H.W. Bush |
35 | Senior Judge | Deborah K. Chasanow | Greenbelt | 1948 | 1993–2014 | 2010–2014 | 2014–present | Clinton |
36 | Senior Judge | Peter Jo Messitte | Greenbelt | 1941 | 1993–2008 | — | 2008–present | Clinton |
38 | Senior Judge | Catherine C. Blake | Baltimore | 1950 | 1995–2021 | 2014–2017 | 2021–present | Clinton |
41 | Senior Judge | Richard D. Bennett | Baltimore | 1947 | 2003–2021 | — | 2021–present | G.W. Bush |
Vacancies and pending nominations[]
Seat | Prior judge's duty station | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Baltimore | Ellen Lipton Hollander | Senior status | TBD[3] | – | – |
Former judges[]
# | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Paca | MD | 1740–1799 | 1789–1799[Note 1] | — | — | Washington | death |
2 | James Winchester | MD | 1772–1806 | 1799–1806 | — | — | J. Adams | death |
3 | James Houston | MD | 1767–1819 | 1806–1819 | — | — | Jefferson | death |
4 | Theodorick Bland | MD | 1776–1846 | 1819–1824[Note 2] | — | — | Monroe | resignation |
5 | Elias Glenn | MD | 1769–1846 | 1824–1836[Note 3] | — | — | Monroe | resignation |
6 | Upton Scott Heath | MD | 1784–1852 | 1836–1852 | — | — | Jackson | death |
7 | John Glenn | MD | 1795–1853 | 1852–1853 | — | — | Fillmore | death |
8 | William Fell Giles | MD | 1807–1879 | 1853–1879[Note 4] | — | — | Pierce | death |
9 | Thomas John Morris | MD | 1837–1912 | 1879–1912 | — | — | Hayes | death |
10 | John Carter Rose | MD | 1861–1927 | 1910–1922 | — | — | Taft | elevation to 4th Cir. |
11 | Morris Ames Soper | MD | 1873–1963 | 1923–1931 | — | — | Harding | elevation to 4th Cir. |
12 | William Caldwell Coleman | MD | 1884–1968 | 1927–1955[Note 5] | 1948–1955 | — | Coolidge | resignation |
13 | William Calvin Chesnut | MD | 1873–1962 | 1931–1953[Note 6] | — | 1953–1962 | Hoover | death |
14 | Roszel Cathcart Thomsen | MD | 1900–1992 | 1954–1971 | 1955–1970 | 1971–1992 | Eisenhower | death |
15 | Robert Dorsey Watkins | MD | 1900–1986 | 1955–1971[Note 7] | 1970 | 1971–1986 | Eisenhower | death |
16 | Edward Skottowe Northrop | MD | 1911–2003 | 1961–1981 | 1970–1981 | 1981–2003 | Kennedy | death |
17 | Harrison Lee Winter | MD | 1921–1990 | 1961–1966[Note 8] | — | — | Kennedy | elevation to 4th Cir. |
18 | Frank Albert Kaufman | MD | 1916–1997 | 1966–1986 | 1981–1986 | 1986–1997 | L. Johnson | death |
19 | Alexander Harvey II | MD | 1923–2017 | 1966–1991 | 1986–1991 | 1991–2017 | L. Johnson | death |
20 | James Rogers Miller Jr. | MD | 1931–2014 | 1970–1986 | — | — | Nixon | retirement |
21 | Charles Stanley Blair | MD | 1927–1980 | 1971–1980 | — | — | Nixon | death |
22 | Herbert Frazier Murray | MD | 1923–1999 | 1971–1988 | — | 1988–1999 | Nixon | death |
23 | Joseph H. Young | MD | 1922–2015 | 1971–1987 | — | 1987–2015 | Nixon | death |
24 | Joseph C. Howard Sr. | MD | 1922–2000 | 1979–1991 | — | 1991–2000 | Carter | death |
25 | Shirley Brannock Jones | MD | 1925–2019 | 1979–1982 | — | — | Carter | resignation |
26 | Norman Park Ramsey | MD | 1922–1993 | 1980–1991 | — | 1991–1992 | Carter | retirement |
27 | Walter Evan Black Jr. | MD | 1926–2014 | 1982–1994 | 1991–1994 | 1994–2014 | Reagan | death |
28 | John R. Hargrove Sr. | MD | 1923–1997 | 1984–1994 | — | 1994–1997 | Reagan | death |
30 | Frederic N. Smalkin | MD | 1946–present | 1986–2003 | 2001–2003 | 2003–2011 | Reagan | retirement |
31 | Paul V. Niemeyer | MD | 1941–present | 1988–1990 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 4th Cir. |
32 | Marvin J. Garbis | MD | 1936–present | 1989–2003 | — | 2003–2018 | G.H.W. Bush | retirement |
34 | Benson Everett Legg | MD | 1947–present | 1991–2012 | 2003–2010 | 2012–2013 | G.H.W. Bush | retirement |
37 | Alexander Williams Jr. | MD | 1948–present | 1994–2013 | — | 2013–2014 | Clinton | retirement |
39 | Andre M. Davis | MD | 1949–present | 1995–2009 | — | — | Clinton | elevation to 4th Cir. |
40 | William D. Quarles Jr. | MD | 1948–present | 2003–2016 | — | — | G.W. Bush | retirement |
42 | Roger W. Titus | MD | 1941–2019 | 2003–2014 | — | 2014–2019 | G.W. Bush | death |
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on February 8, 1790, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 10, 1790, and received commission the same day.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 3, 1820, confirmed by the Senate on January 5, 1820, and received commission the same day.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 16, 1824, confirmed by the Senate on January 3, 1825, and received commission the same day.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 19, 1853, confirmed by the Senate on January 11, 1854, and received commission the same day.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1927, confirmed by the Senate on December 19, 1927, and received commission the same day.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 15, 1931, confirmed by the Senate on January 12, 1932, and received commission the same day.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 12, 1956, confirmed by the Senate on March 1, 1956, and received commission on March 2, 1956.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1962, confirmed by the Senate on February 7, 1962, and received commission on February 17, 1962.
Chief judges[]
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats[]
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See also[]
- Courts of Maryland
- List of current United States district judges
- List of United States federal courthouses in Maryland
References[]
- ^ "United States Attorney Robert K. Hur to Leave Department of Justice After Serving as Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer in Maryland Since 2018" (Press release). Baltimore, Maryland: United States Attorney's Office. February 3, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "Salisbury | District of Maryland | United States District Court". www.mdd.uscourts.gov. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
- ^ "Future Judicial Vacancies". United States Courts. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document: "Former Maryland United States Attorneys".
External links[]
- United States district courts
- Maryland law
- Prince George's County, Maryland
- Baltimore
- Cumberland, Maryland
- Caroline County, Maryland
- Greenbelt, Maryland
- 1789 establishments in Maryland
- Courthouses in Maryland
- Courts and tribunals established in 1789