COURT OF APPEALS
Chief Judge:
ROBERT C. MURPHY, Second
Appellate Circuit Towson, 1989
Associate Judges:
MARVIN H. SMITH, First Appellate
Circuit Federalsburg, 1985
IRVING A. LEVINE, Third
Appellate Circuit Bethesda, 1989
J. DUDLEY DIGGES, Fourth
Appellate Circuit LaPlata, 1985
JOHN C. ELDRIDGE, Fifth
Appellate Circuit Annapolis, 1991
FREDERICK J. SINGLEY, JR., Sixth
Appellate Circuit Baltimore, 1983
CHARLES E. ORTH, JR„ Sixth
Appellate Circuit Baltimore, 1978
JAMES H. NORRIS, JR., Clerk of the Court
JOSEPH L. Di SAIA, Chief Deputy Clerk
OLIVE JANE RICHARDS, Deputy Clerk IV
VIRGINIA S. HUBBARD, Deputy Clerk III
MARY J. MORRIS, Deputy Clerk 11
Courts of Appeal Building,
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 269-3341
The Court of Appeals is the highest tri-
bunal of the State of Maryland. It was
created by the Constitution of 1776. From
1777 to 1805 the Court sat in Annapolis,
on the Western Shore. Between 1805 and
1851 it sat at Easton on the Eastern Shore,
as well. Since 1851 the Court has met only
at Annapolis.
By the terms of the reorganization Act
of 1960, Ch. 11, the Court is composed of
seven judges, five of whom constitute a
quorum. One judge is to be elected from |
each of the first five Appellate Judicial
Circuits and two from the Sixth Appellate
Judicial Circuit, which is Baltimore City.
The terms of the Judges are for fifteen years.
The Governor designates the Chief Judge.
The Court of Appeals of Maryland has
( 1 ) Jurisdiction to review a case or pro-
ceeding pending in or decided by the Court
of Special Appeals in accordance with ap-
plicable law; and (2) Exclusive appellate
jurisdiction with respect to a question of
law certified to it under the Uniform Cer-
tification of Questions of Law Act (Courts
Article, sec. 12-307). The Court also ad-
mits all eligible candidates to the State Bar.
The term of the Court begins the second
Monday of September in each year (Courts
Article, sees. 12-301 to 12-306).
The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals
is the chief administrative officer of the
State's judiciary. The Court of Appeals
makes rules for the conduct of its own
practice and procedure and that of the vari-
ous courts and districts of the State. The
Chief Judge may also assign the Judges of
the various Circuits to duties in other Cir-
cuits or Districts, the Court of Appeals and
the Court of Special Appeals — for any
purpose.
The Clerk of the Court of Appeals is
appointed by the Court. He maintains the
docket, receives the briefs and transcripts
of all appeals filed with the Court, and
maintains official custody of the decisions
of the Court, the Acts of the General As-
sembly, and of all other records which the
law may require to be filed with the Court
(Const. 1867, Art. IV, sec. 17). |
