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 Joan E. Ryon
Close Date @4:30pm:
11/21/2024
Applicants Pool **:
David Edgar Booth, Jr.
James Joseph Dietrich
David Keith Felsen
Mary Ellen Flynn
Magistrate Robert Jay Goldman
Gerard Paul Griffin
Keith Joseph Rosa
David Mitchell Schoenfeld
Vincent Michael Wills
Carlotta Ann Woodward
Seth Bradley Zucker
Comm. Mtg:
12-16-2024
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Bonnie G. Schneider
Close Date @4:30pm:
11/12/2024
Applicants Pool **:
Jobeth Rocky Bowers
Emily Louise Gillis
Michael James Halter
Justin Bryan Hill
Veronica Natasha Love
Melissa Anne Ricke
Robert Elliott Sentman
Robert Edmund Surmacz
Stuart Thomas Welch
Denise Winston
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Keith A. Baynes
Close Date @4:30pm:
11/12/2024
Applicants Pool **:
Jobeth Rocky Bowers
Emily Louise Gillis
Michael James Halter
Justin Bryan Hill
Veronica Natasha Love
Melissa Anne Ricke
Robert Elliott Sentman
Stuart Thomas Welch
**Edwin Benjamin Fockler IV
**Charles Evan Rollins
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
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 **:
**Magistrate Bruce Dermion Edwards
**William Carl Isler, II
**Rhonda Alexis Wood
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
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 Stacey Maria Cobb Smith
**Rhonda Alexis Wood
**William Carl Isler, II
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Elevation of the Honorable Scott M. Carrington to the Circuit Court
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**Bruce Dermion Edwards
**Laura Joy Novello Fuggitti
**William Carl Isler, II
**Rhonda Alexis Wood
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Appointed (Date of Appointment):
**Laura Joy Novello Fuggitti (10/25/24)
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable John J. Nagle, III
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**Evelyn Lombardo Cusson
**Michael Joseph Dunty
**Honorable Michael Thurston Pate
**Jennifer Warfield Ritter
**Ralph Laurence Sapia
**Creston Phillip Smith
**Thomas Richard Tompsett
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Appointed (Date of Appointment):
**Thomas Richard Tompsett (10/25/24)
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Cheryl A. McCally
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**Catherine Huger McQueen
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Appointed (Date of Appointment):
**Catherine Huger McQueen (10/25/24)
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Passing of the Honorable Michael J. Stamm
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Elevation of the Honorable Stephen H. Kehoe to the Appellate Court
Close Date @4:30pm:
08/28/2024
Applicants Pool **:
Peter Russell Cotter
Philip Thomas Cronan
Chelsea Clark Endzel
Magistrate Mary Elliott O'Donnell
Kisha T. Petticolas
Tamara Vaughn Whelan Stofa
Kristina Arriaga Sutley
Comm. Mtg:
10-02-2024
Nominees Pool **:
Peter Russell Cotter
Philip Thomas Cronan
Tamara Vaughn Whelan Stofa
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Gerald V. Purnell
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**Michael William Farlow
**David Charles Gaskill
**Regan James Reno Smith
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
Reason for Vacancy:
Resignation of the Honorable Kevin M. Wilson
Close Date @4:30pm:
08/06/2024
Applicants Pool **:
Kristin Elizabeth Blumer
Marnell Allan Cooper
Jennifer Erin Keyser
James Burke Miller
Shomari Akil Taylor
Jocelyn Lang Williams
Rita Marie Wisthoff-Ito
**Piper Faith McKeithen
Comm. Mtg:
08-30-2024
Nominees Pool **:
Kristin Elizabeth Blumer
Marnell Allan Cooper
James Burke Miller
**Piper Faith McKeithen (withdrew)
NOTE: Applications for these vacancies are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Alison L. Asti
Retirement of the Honorable J. Michael Wachs
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**Honorable Jennifer Michelle Alexander
**Richard John Berwanger, Jr.
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Susan H. Hazlett
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**Jessica Russo Bancroft
**Angela Chong Diehl
**Harrison Earl Greene, III
**Lawrence Francis Kreis, Jr.
**Donald Foster Walter, Jr.
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **:
NOTE: Applications for this vacancy are not being accepted at this time.
Reason for Vacancy:
Retirement of the Honorable Pamila J. Brown
Close Date @4:30pm:
Applicants Pool **:
**Claude de Vastey Jones
**Ryan Joseph Dymek
**Mark Joseph Muffoletto
**Frank Edward Turney
Comm. Mtg:
Nominees Pool **: