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Maryland’s New Chief Judge Visits Prince George’s County District Court

(UPPER MARLBORO, Md. – Dec. 4, 2013) Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera met with Prince George’s County District Court judges and personnel today as part of her statewide tour of courts and facilities.

“Prince George’s County is one of our largest jurisdictions, and I’m grateful that my fellow judges made room in their busy dockets for this meeting,” Judge Barbera said.

Visiting the state’s courts has been a priority for Maryland’s new chief judge, and she has traveled to approximately half the state’s court facilities since early July, when Gov. Martin O’Malley appointed her to lead the state’s court system.

“Face-to-face meetings have been very helpful in opening an ongoing dialog about what our courts needs to provide fair, timely, and easy access to justice,” Judge Barbera said. She met with judges and court staff during her tour of the Prince George’s County District Court. “It was an honor to meet the dedicated professionals who work so hard behind the scenes to operate the courts and enable our judges to do their jobs.”

“It was a privilege to welcome Judge Barbera as the new chief judge and to show her our facilities and introduce her to our wonderful staff,” said Prince George’s County District Administrative Judge Thomas J. Love. “There is symbolic importance in Chief Judge Barbera's visiting us where we live and work. It underscores that we are members of communities that have unique challenges, but we are also part of a network that serves all Marylanders. This visit was a chance to explore issues that we have in Prince George’s County as well as a chance to share thoughts about challenges we face together statewide.”

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