Administrative Office provide the Chief Judge with
advice, information, facilities, and staff to facilitate
administration and implement court administrative
policies established by the Chief Judge, the Court
of Appeals, and the General Assembly

The Administrative Office engages in planning
and research; provides staff support for the educa-
tion and training of judges and nonjudicial person-
nel; and prepares and administers the Judiciary
budget. The Office serves as liaison with the legis-
lative and executive branches; provides staff sup-
port for the Maryland Judicial Conference and the
Conference of Circuit Judges; operates information
systems; and gathers and analyzes statistics and
other management information. The Office also
assists the Chief Judge in the assignment of judges
to cope with temporary backlogs or to address
shortages of judicial personnel (Code Courts and
Judicial Proceedings Article, sec. 13-101).

The staffs of the circuit administrators in the
First, Second, Fourth and Fifth Judicial Circuits are
also attached to the Administrative Office.

THE STATE REPORTER

Alexander L. Cummings, State Reporter

Courts of Appeal Building
361 Rowe Blvd.
Annapolis, MD 21401 974-3539

Appointed by the Court of Appeals, the State
Reporter is responsible for the publication of the
Maryland Reports and the Maryland Appellate Re-
ports. Maryland Reports contains the official opinions
of the Court of Appeals (Const., Art. IV, secs.
14-18A). Maryland Appellate Reports contains the
official opinions of the Court of Special Appeals
(Code Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article,
secs. 13-201 through 13-204).

JUDICIAL NOMINATING
COMMISSIONS

Courts of Appeal Building
361 Rowe Blvd.
Annapolis, MD 21401 974-2141

In 1970, the Governor by executive order estab-
lished a statewide judicial nominating commission
to propose nominees for appointment to the appel-
late courts, and regional trial court nominating
commissions to perform the same function for trial
court vacancies. The commissions began operation
in 1971. The commissions were reconstituted by
the Governor in 1988 (Executive Order
01.01.1988.06). Each judicial vacancy filled pursu-
ant to the Governor's appointing power must be

Judiciary/523

filled from a list of nominees submitted by one of
these nominating commissions.

When a judicial vacancy occurs or is about to
occur, the Administrative Office of the Courts no-
tifies the appropriate commission and then solicits
applications from interested persons through an-
nouncements in the press and by contacting inter-
ested bar associations. Applications received are
distributed to the commission members.

After the filing deadline for a vacancy has passed,
the commission meets to consider applications and
relevant information, such as recommendations
from bar associations or individual citizens. Each
candidate is interviewed by the full commission or
by commission panels. The commission then pre-
pares a list of those candidates deemed legally and
professionally most fully qualified for judicial office.
This list is prepared by secret written ballot. No
applicant may be added to the list unless that appli-
cant has the affirmative vote of a majority of the
commission members present at a voting session.
The list is forwarded to the Governor, who must
make an appointment from the commission list.

The Appellate Judicial Nominating Commission
nominates candidates for the Court of Appeals and
the Court of Special Appeals. Fourteen Trial Courts
Judicial Nominating Commissions recommend
nominees for Circuit Courts and District Courts.

Each of the fifteen commissions consists of thir-
teen members. Six members are lawyers elected by
other lawyers within designated geographical areas.
Six are lay members appointed by the Governor.
The chairperson, who may be either a lawyer or a
lay person, also is appointed by the Governor. The
terms of members extend to the date of qualifica-
tion of the Governor elected at each quadrennial
election, and until their successors are duly chosen.
The Administrative Office of the Courts is the sec-
retariat to all commissions.

APPELLATE JUDICIAL NOMINATING
COMMISSION

Chairperson: James J. Cromwell

1st Appellate Circuit:
Jane W. Bailey; Peter Ayers Wimbrow III
2nd Appellate Circuit:
E. Scott Moore; Harry Ratrie
3rd Appellate Circuit:
David Gilbert Borenstein, M.D.; Albert D.
Brault
4th Appellate Circuit:
Clarence L. Fossett, Jr.; Rev. Andrew Johnson
5rh Appellate Circuit:
Leonard E. Moodispaw; Kenneth A. Pippin
6th Appellate Circuit:
Albert J. Matricciani, Jr.; Kenneth R. Taylor,
Jr-