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Cecil County Courts Welcome Maryland’s Chief Judge

(ELKTON, Md. -- Dec. 11, 2013) Cecil County Circuit Court and District Court judges and personnel met with Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera today when she visited the county as part of a statewide tour of court facilities.

“We’re very proud of our operations and our personnel, and this visit provided an opportunity for Maryland’s new chief judge to observe first-hand our efforts to provide quality services to our citizens,” said Cecil County Circuit Judge V. Michael Whelan, the county administrative judge. “Today’s visit also marks the start of an open and ongoing discussion about issues we have in our communities as well as a chance to share thoughts about challenges we face statewide. We look forward to working with Judge Barbera and the Administrative Office of the Courts to find ways to improve the delivery of judicial services to our community.”

District Administrative Judge Stephen J. Baker, Cecil County District Court, said, “Many of our staff met the chief judge for the first time today, but more important, it was a pleasure to be able to introduce her to the dedicated people who work ‘behind-the-scenes’ in our courts.”

“I was pleased to have the opportunity to congratulate my fellow judges on the excellent management of their courts,” Chief Judge Barbera said. “Our courts are very busy, and it’s a privilege to meet so many hardworking professionals at every level who make it possible for our courts to operate and our judges to do their jobs,” she said.

“Cecil County has a long history of judicial service to the community,” Judge Whelan said. “We’ve had a courthouse since 1792, and the courthouse we have now is ‘new’ only in comparison to several others in the state – ours was built in 1939 and predates the Second World War,” he added. “We need to make sure that all our facilities provide the space we need to operate, are accessible for all our visitors, and ensure the public safety of everyone.”

Judge Baker added, “As we strive to provide quality services to our citizens, we need to continually evaluate how people access our courts. In the 21st century, that means frequently assessing and updating technologies to take on new tasks locally and statewide.”

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