Judges of the Sixth Circuit Court
The office:
SALARY: $140,352 annual base
TERM: Fifteen years, no term limit
HOW ELECTED: When there is a vacancy, the Governor appoints a qualified person to fill the office. Each newly appointed Circuit Court judge then must stand for election at the first election that occurs at least one year later. The judge may be opposed formally by one or more qualified members of the bar. All candidates run on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. Independents vote only in the general election.
DUTIES: Judges preside in the Circuit Court, which is a trial court of general jurisdiction covering major civil cases and more serious criminal matters. Circuit Courts also may decide appeals from District Court and certain administrative agencies.
The issues
BACKGROUND: What education and life experiences qualify you to hold this office?
JUSTICE SYSTEM NEED: What is the area of greatest need in the Maryland judicial system?
LEGAL ACCESS: What can be done to provide individuals with wider and better access to legal help and the legal system?
(Vote for no more than two judges.)
ROBERT ALAN GREENBERG
BACKGROUND: I graduated from Wheaton High School, Washington College, and the University of Baltimore School of Law. I was a Montgomery County Assistant State’s Attorney, and also an attorney in private practice for nearly 25 years before being appointed to the Circuit Court bench two years ago by Governor Ehrlich.
JUSTICE SYSTEM NEEDS: We need to continue our efforts at finding alternative means to resolve disputes. Court dockets are already overcrowded, and our physical facilities limited. Many cases both civil and criminal can be effectively settled without judicial intervention, through trained mediators and facilitators.
LEGAL ACCESS: Montgomery County lawyers already provide legal representation to the indigent, through the Public Defender’s Office (criminal cases), the Legal Aid Bureau (civil cases), and our county bar association’s pro bono program. More government funding would ensure continued access, by all citizens, to these vital services.
MARY BETH MCCORMICK
BACKGROUND: I have been a judge since 1997 and have worked in the legal field for 32 years. Before becoming a judge, I practiced in civil and criminal law, as a partner in a law firm and in the Public Defender’s Office; also as law clerk for a Circuit Court judge....
JUSTICE SYSTEM NEEDS: Developing more cost-effective ways of resolving disputes. Due to the increasing costs of litigation, many people decide to represent themselves in matters where they would be better served by having an attorney.
LEGAL ACCESS: The Maryland courts have worked very hard to provide access to the legal system. There is a tremendous amount of on-line assistance, particularly for District Court cases. The Court continues to train its personnel, including judges, to guide the self represented litigant, while still remaining impartial.