The Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2002

Gay woman, Asian-American named city
District Court judges

                     By Allison Klein
                            Sun Staff
                            Originally published July 18, 2002

                    Gov. Parris N. Glendening named two assistant state's attorneys - one an
                    Asian-American, the other an openly gay woman - as judges to the
                    Baltimore City District Court yesterday, saying the appointments are
                    "breaking down barriers."

                    Jeannie Hong will become the first Asian-American judge in Maryland
                    history, and Halee Weinstein becomes one of the state's few openly gay
                    judges.

They fill the vacancies created on the city bench by the retirements of
Teaette S. Price and John P. Miller.

                    "This is an historic occasion as we continue our commitment to ensure that
                    the Maryland judiciary is truly representative of the people it serves,"
                    Glendening said in a prepared statement. "The strength of Maryland is its
                    diversity, and with these two appointments we are celebrating that
                    diversity and breaking down barriers. I am confident Ms. Hong and Ms.
                    Weinstein ... will make Maryland a more fair, just and inclusive to live."

                    Hong, 36, a Korean-American, heads the Vehicle Analysis Network in
                    the state's attorney's office, and is the office expert on prosecuting
                    carjacking cases.

Weinstein, 40, assistant division chief at the state's attorney's Charging
Division, formerly specialized in domestic violence prosecutions.

                    Hong, who joined the state's attorney's office in 1994, has litigated cases
                    in the district, juvenile, misdemeanor and felony divisions of the office. She
                    began her legal career in 1993 as a staff attorney for the Maryland
                    Department of Human Resources/Child Care Administration.

                    Hong is married to Michael Shaw, an attorney, and they have two young
                    children. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, and became a U.S. citizen
                    in October 1977.

                    Weinstein began her law career as a law clerk for Judge Elsbeth Bothe on
                    the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Before joining the state's attorney's
                    office in 1991, Weinstein worked for a private law firm.

                    She also served as a military intelligence officer in the Army from 1984 to
                    1986. She attained the rank of second lieutenant and was honorably
                    discharged.

                    Weinstein's domestic partner is Shannon Avery, an assistant attorney
                    general in the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. They have two
                    young children.