Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

Sally Denison Adkins
MSA SC 3520-2638

Born in Salisbury, Maryland, January 21, 1950.  Lawrence University, B.A. (philosophy), 1972; University of Maryland School of Law, J.D., 1975.  Admitted to Maryland Bar, 1976.

Judge, Court of Appeals, 1st Appellate Judicial Circuit (Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico & Worcester counties), June 25, 2008 to October 30, 2018. Retired October 30, 2018. Member, Civil Law and Procedure Committee, Maryland Judicial Conference, 2010-14. Chair, Advisory Committee to Explore the Feasibility of Maryland’s Adoption of the Uniform Bar Examination, 2016-17. Judge, Court of Special Appeals, 1st Appellate Judicial Circuit, June 24, 1998 to June 25, 2008. Member, Civil Law and Procedure Committee, Maryland Judicial Conference, 1997-2000, 2001-02. Chair, Commission on Judicial Disabilities, 1999-2006. Associate Judge, Wicomico County Circuit Court, 1st Judicial Circuit, August 23, 1996 to June 23, 1998. Member, Judges, Masters and Juvenile Justice Committee, 1996-98.

Member, Trial Court Judicial Nominating Commission, 1st Judicial Circuit, 1983-90. Member, Ethics Commission, Wicomico County, 1986-96. Member, Attorney General's Advisory Council on Family Legal Needs of Low-Income Persons (family court committee), 1991-93.

Law clerk to Judge Marvin H. Smith, Court of Appeals, 1975-76. Adkins, Potts & Smethurst, 1976-95 (associate attorney, 1976-81; partner, 1982-96). Partner, Adkins & Allen, L.L.P., 1995-96. Member, Maryland State Bar Association (past member, committee on judicial personnel issues, committee on laws); Wicomico County Bar Association (president, 1991-92); Women's Bar Association of Maryland (president, eastern shore chapter, 1990-92). Board of Directors, Legal Aid Bureau, 1980-84. Board of Directors, Coastal Hospice, Inc., 1980-88. Board of Directors, Mid-Delmarva Family Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), Inc., 1981-91. Board of Directors, E. S. Adkins & Co., 1982-. Board of Directors, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Salisbury, Maryland, 1986-96. Board of Directors, Organize, Unite, and Revitalize (OUR) Community, Inc., 1995-2005. Member, Greater Salisbury Committee, Inc. 1990-97. Fellow, Maryland Bar Foundation, 1992-. Co-recipient, Rita C. Davidson Award, Women's Bar Association of Maryland, 1999. Dorothy Beatty Memorial Award for significant contributions to advancement of women's rights, Women's Law Center of Maryland, 2000.

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