436/Maryland Manual

4th Judicial Circuit: William L. Wilson,
Chairperson; Thomas N. Berry; W. Kennedy
Boone III; Irving M. Einbinder; Leonard J.
Eisweet; Anne L. Gormer; William L. Huff;
Dorothy Lueba; Joseph H. McElwee; David H.
Miller, M.D.; Lillian Tumbusch; John H. Uroer;
Anne Byrd Wilson.

5th Judicial Circuit: Lewis Straughn Nippard,
Chairperson; William A. Franch; Vincent M.
Guida; Shirley Hager Hobbs; Walter E. Morgan;
James Patrick Nolan; George Pettigrew; Robert
K. Parker; Marian Satterthwaite; Barry Silber;
Ruth Uhrig; John B. Wright; Thomas M.
Yeager.

6th Judicial Circuit: Devin John Doolan,
Chairperson; Frances J. Ford; Roberta B.
Hochberg; Virginia Lewis, Ph.D.; Edwin
Frederick Nikirk, Sr.; Miriam S. Raff; Donald
B. Rice; William J. Rowan III; Don Franklin
Ryder, Jr.; Lois 0. Stoner; Roger W. Titus;
Charles E. Wilson, Jr.; Charles F. Wilding.

7th Judicial Circuit: Benjamin R. Wolman,
Chairperson; Thomas Amenta; Paul J. Bailey;
Warren E. Barley; Shirley E. Colleary; Annette
Funn; Rev. Andrew Johnson; Thomas F. Mudd;
Ralph W. Powers, Jr.; Victoria E. Selph;
Thomas L. Starkey; John F. Wood, Jr..

8th Judicial Circuit: Benjamin C. Whitten, Ed.D.,
Chairperson; Peter F. Axelrad; Paul D. Bekman;
Pearl Cole Brackett, Ph.D.; John B. Ferron;
Marianne Githens, Ph.D.; Paula M. Junghans;
Antonia Keanc; Albert J. Matricciani, Jr.,
Theodore S. Miller; Mary E. Robinson; Kenneth
L. Thompson; William H. C. Wilson.

The Governor by executive order established in
1970 a statewide judicial nominating commission
to propose nominees for appointment to the appel-
late courts, and eight regional trial court nominat-
ing commissions to perform the same function for
trial court vacancies. The nine commissions began
operation in 1971. Each judicial vacancy filled
pursuant to the Governor's appointing power must
be filled from a list of nominees submitted by a
nominating commission.

When a judicial vacancy occurs or is about to
occur, the Administrative Office of the Courts
notifies the appropriate commission and then solic-
its applications from interested persons through
announcements in the press and by contacting
interested bar associations. Applications received
are distributed to the commission members.

After the filing deadline for the particular vacan-
cy has passed, the commission meets and considers

the applications and other relevant information,
such as recommendations from bar associations or
individual citizens. Each candidate is interviewed
either by the full commission or by commission
panels. The commission then prepares a list of
those candidates deemed to be legally and profes-
sionally most fully qualified for judicial office. This
list is prepared by secret written ballot, and no
applicant may be included on the list unless that
applicant has the affirmative vote of not less than
seven members of the commission. The list is
forwarded to the Governor, who must make his
appointment from the commission list.

Each of the nine commissions consists of six
lawyer members elected by other lawyers within
designated geographical areas; six lay members
appointed by the Governor; and a chairperson
appointed by the Governor, who may be either a
lawyer or a lay person. The Administrative Office
of the Courts acts as secretariat to all commissions
and provides them with staff and logistical sup-
port.

MARYLAND JUDICIAL CONFERENCE

Chairperson: Robert C. Murphy, Chief Judge,
Court of Appeals

James H. Norris, Jr., Executive Secretary

Courts of Appeal Building
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 269-2141

The Maryland Judicial Conference was orga-
nized in 1945, and presently operates under the
provisions of Maryland Rule 1226. The Conference
considers the status of judicial business in the
various courts; devises means for relieving conges-
tion of dockets; considers improvements of prac-
tice and procedure in the courts; considers and
recommends legislation; discusses proposals for the
improvement of the administration of justice in
Maryland and the judicial system in Maryland.

The Conference consists of all judges of the four
Courts of Maryland. The Chief Judge of the Court
of Appeals serves as chairperson, and the State
Court Administrator as executive secretary. The
Conference meets annually in plenary session.
Between these sessions, its work is conducted by an
Executive Committee and by a number of other
committees, as established by the Executive Com-
mittee in consultation with the Chief Judge. The
various committees are provided staff support by
personnel of the Administrative Office of the
Courts.