428/Maryland Manual
6TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

Frederick and Montgomery counties—15 Judges

Samuel W. Barrick, Chief Judge Frederick, 1985
David L. Cahoon, Administrative Judge
Montgomery, 1987
DeLawrence Beard Montgomery, 1986
William M. Cave Montgomery, 1995
Stanley B. Frosh Montgomery, 1991
Richard B. Latham Montgomery, 1991
James S. McAuliffe, Jr. Montgomery, 1997
John F. McAuliffe Montgomery, 1989
William C. Miller Montgomery, 1997
John J. Mitchell Montgomery, 1989
Irma S. Raker Montgomery, 1997
L. Leonard Ruben Montgomery, 1999
Calvin R. Sanders Montgomery, 1994
William W. Wenner Frederick, 1997
one vacancy

7TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

Calvert, Charles, Prince George's, and St. Mary's
counties—19 Judges

Ernest A. Loveless, Jr., Chief and Administrative
Judge Prince George's, 1993
Arthur M. Ahalt Prince George's, 1999
Albert T. Blackwell, Jr. Prince George's, 1991
Perry G. Bowen, Jr. Calvert, 1997
George W. Bowling Charles, 1991
Howard S. Chasanow Prince George's, 1993
Richard J. dark Charles, 1995
Vincent J. Femia Prince George's, 1993
G. R. Hovey Johnson Prince George's, 1999
Jacob S. Levin Prince George's, 1991
Robert H. Mason Prince George's, 1993
Joseph A. Mattingly St. Mary's, 1987
William H. McCullough Prince George's, 1985
Audrey E. Melbourne Prince George's, 1995
James M. Rea, Sr. Prince George's, 1994
David Gray Ross Prince George's, 1995
James H. Taylor Prince George's, 1985
Robert J. Woods Prince George's, 1993
one vacancy

8TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

Baltimore City—23 Judges

Robert I. H. Hammerman, Chief Judge
Baltimore, 1999
Joseph H. H. Kaplan, Administrative Judge 1993
Milton B. Allen 1993
Edward J. Angeletti 1999
Mary Arabian 1990
Solomon Baylor 1992
Elsbeth Levy Bothe 1995
John Carroll Byrnes 1997
Hilary D. Caplan 1986
ArrieW.Davis 1999
Martin B. Greenfeld 1991
Kenneth L. Johnson 1997
Marshall A. Levin 1987
David B. Mitchell 1986
James W. Murphy 1985
Thomas E. Noel 1999
Joseph I. Pines 1992
David Ross 1985
Edgar P. Silver 1993
Thomas Ward 1997
Robert B. Watts 1985
two vacancies

The Circuit Courts are the highest common law
and equity courts of record exercising original
jurisdiction within the State. Each has full com-
mon law and equity powers and jurisdiction in all
civil and criminal cases within its county, and all
the additional powers and jurisdiction conferred
by the Constitution and by law, except where by
law jurisdiction has been limited or conferred
exclusively upon another tribunal (Code Courts
and Judicial Proceedings Article, sec. 1-501).

In each county of the State, there is a circuit
court, which is a trial court of general jurisdiction.
Its jurisdiction is very broad, but generally it
handles the major civil cases and the more serious
criminal matters. Circuit courts may also decide
appeals from the district court and from certain
administrative agencies.

These courts are grouped into eight geographical
circuits. Each of the first seven circuits contains
two or more counties. The Eighth Judicial Circuit
consists of Baltimore City.

Judges of the Baltimore City Circuit Court were
formerly appointed to the Supreme Bench of
Baltimore City. The Supreme Bench was com-
posed of six courts, each of which exercised a
varying degree of overlapping or separate jurisdic-
tion in relation to the others. As a result of
constitutional amendments ratified by the voters in
November 1980, the six courts of the Supreme
Bench of Baltimore were consolidated. The sepa-
rate courts became the Circuit Court for Baltimore
City on January 1, 1983. This court operates much