Three nominated to Prince George’s County seat on COSA

By Chris Mincher

There’s been a lot of activity this week in the process of filling Maryland’s appellate vacancies — first, nine applications were received for the soon-to-be-open Court of Appeals spot, and, yesterday, the Judicial Nominating Commission sent three names to the governor to be considered for the Court of Special Appeals seat reserved for Prince George’s County. Five had initially applied, after which Erika Louise Pierson, an administrative law judge with the District of Columbia, withdrew. Of the remaining four, the Commission has recommended the Hon. Cathy Hollenberg Serrette and the Hon. Melanie Marva Shaw Geter, both of the county circuit court, as well as Phillip Robert Zuber of Sasscer Clagett & Bucher.

Judge Geter is a graduate of Maryland Law (as is Mr. Zuber) and previously served on the state District Court and as an assistant state’s attorney and assistant attorney general; Judge Serrette obtained her J.D. from George Washington Law and is a former master at the circuit court, private practitioner, and congressional aide. Both of the judges have also been nominated to the Court of Special Appeals’ at-large seat, so, if things don’t work out, each will have a second shot at a spot. (Likewise, although the Hon. Krystal Quinn Alves got passed over from this slate, she’s still in the running for the at-large vacancy.) While the governor mulls his options for both of these openings, the Commission gets back to work weighing the Court of Appeals candidates so as to narrow the list at an April 25 meeting.