Governor O'Malley Appoints Ten Trial Court Judges
Highly Qualified, Diverse Circuit and District Judges Selected to Serve Across the State
ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 7, 2008) – Governor O’Malley announced today the appointment of two Circuit Court judges and eight District Court judges who will serve in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Calvert County, Cecil County, and Prince George’s County.
“I am proud to appoint this talented and diverse group of judges to serve on our State’s trial courts,” said Governor O’Malley. “As most of our neighbors’ only experience with the justice system is with our District and Circuit Courts, it is vital that our judges treat people evenhandedly and with respect. Each appointee brings a diversity of experience but has in common integrity, strong legal backgrounds, and the ability to treat people fairly.”
Governor O’Malley has conducted dozens of interviews with candidates recommended to him by the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commissions. All of the judges selected to serve on Maryland’s Circuit and District Courts were recommended to him by the Commissions.
In Anne Arundel County, Governor O’Malley has appointed the following three judges to serve on the District Court:
Henry Richard Duden, III, is a senior litigator at the Annapolis law firm of Hyatt and Weber, P.A. He has broad experience in civil litigation, appellate practice, and administrative law. Mr. Duden is a member of the State Ethics Commission and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. He is the current historian of the Anne Arundel County Bar Association. Mr. Duden was born and raised in Annapolis, and graduated from Annapolis High School and the University of Maryland School of Law.
Eileen Reilly has spent almost 20 years as a prosecutor in the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office. She is the lead prosecutor for the county’s Circuit Court Adult Drug Court and the trial team leader for the Felony Drug Unit. Ms. Reilly teaches criminal law classes at the Annapolis City Police Department and the Anne Arundel County Police Department. She is the recipient of the Anne Arundel County Spirit of Excellence Award for 15 years of outstanding service.
Shaèm Spencer has been the City Attorney for Annapolis since 2003. In that capacity, he is the general counsel for the 15 departments and over 500 employees of the City of Annapolis. Mr. Spencer is a past president of the Maryland Municipal Attorney’s Association. Earlier in his career, Mr. Spencer spent four years as a prosecutor in the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office. Mr. Spencer graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law.
In Baltimore City, Governor O’Malley has appointed Marcus Z. Shar to fill the Circuit Court vacancy created by the elevation of the Honorable Albert J. Matricciani, Jr. to the Court of Special Appeals. Mr. Shar is a partner with the Baltimore firm of Shar, Rosen & Warshaw, LLC. He represents plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases throughout the country, and he is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Shar is a frequent lecturer and author regarding trial advocacy and medical malpractice issues. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Law and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
In Calvert County, Governor O’Malley has appointed Edward Gregory Wells to serve on the District Court. Mr. Wells is currently an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Appeals Division of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. He has had a long career of public service in Calvert County. Mr. Wells spent ten years as a prosecutor in the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, serving for three years as the Deputy State’s Attorney. He was the first African-American to serve as the Calvert County State’s Attorney, from 2005-2006. He also served for seven years as a Master for Domestic Relations and Juvenile Causes in Calvert County.
In Cecil County, Governor O’Malley has appointed Bonnie Gullatt Schneider to serve on the District Court. Ms. Schneider has spent almost her entire 20-year legal career in public service in Elkton. She began her career as a prosecutor in the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she worked for 13 years in the Circuit Court Felony Criminal Division. She also served as an advisor to the Cecil County Narcotics Task Force. For the past six years, she has been an Assistant Public Defender, and she currently works in Elkton.
In Prince George’s County, Governor O’Malley has elevated District Court Judge Leo E. Green, Jr. to serve on the Circuit Court. The Governor also has appointed Tiffany Hanna Anderson, G. Richard Collins, and Lawrence V. Hill, Jr. to serve on the District Court.
Judge Leo E. Green, Jr. has served on the District Court since 2001. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Green had a general law practice in Bowie, Maryland. Throughout his career, Judge Green has been dedicated to public service. He was a Commissioner on the Attorney Grievance Commission from 1998 to 2001, and he served on the Bowie City Council from 1996 to 2001. He is the recipient of the 2000 President’s Award from the Maryland Municipal League.
Tiffany Hanna Anderson currently is a partner at Funk & Bolton, P.A., where she practices local government law, general civil litigation, government relations, and land use and zoning law. From 2003 to 2004, she was the Legislative Liaison for County Executive Jack B. Johnson. Before working for the County, she was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County for four years. She prosecuted misdemeanor, juvenile, and felony matters. She received an Outstanding Service and Dedication Award from the Prince George’s County Police Department in 2002.
G. Richard Collins has practiced law in Prince George’s County for 33 years. His practice has focused on criminal defense work, personal injury cases, and business law. He has extensive litigation experience before the District Court. Mr. Collins served on the Maryland Bar Grievance Commission from 1995 to 1999. He graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law, and he clerked for the Honorable James M. Rea of the District Court for Prince George’s County.
Lawrence V. Hill, Jr. is a solo practitioner in Bowie, Maryland. He has a general law practice with and emphasis on domestic, criminal, and personal injury cases. Before entering private practice, Mr. Hill was as an Assistant Public Defender for Prince George’s County. From 2004 to 2006, he served as an Appeals Hearing Officer for the Board of Education for Prince George’s County. Mr. Hill graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law, and he is a 1991 scholarship recipient from the J. Franklin Bourne Bar Association.
More information on the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commissions established by Governor O’Malley can be found at http://www.gov.state.md.us/executiveorders/01.01.2008.04eo.pdf.
