Today, Governor Hogan announced that he is appointing Harford County Circuit Court Judge Angela Eaves and Court of Special Appeals Chief Judge Matthew Fader for the vacancies on the Court of Appeals created by the upcoming retirements of Judge Robert McDonald and Chief Judge Joseph Getty.

As a result of Chief Judge Fader’s elevation, the Governor has announced his intention to appoint Judge Gregory Wells of the Court of Special Appeals to serve as that court’s new chief judge and Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Anne Albright to the at-large vacancy.

Judge Eaves’ appointment is particularly notable. After the original seven applicants for Judge McDonald’s seat (reserved for residents of Baltimore County and Harford County) were all white, the Governor readvertised the vacancy to “attract as broad a field of candidates as possible consistent with his commitment to diversity and outreach.” Judge Eaves was one of five additional applicants, and she will now become Maryland’s first Afro-Latina appellate judge.

Also of note, Judge Wells will become the first African-American and first openly LGBTQ Chief Judge of Maryland’s intermediate appellate court.

The Appellate Courts Judicial Nominating Commission today nominated three sitting appellate judges for the Court of Appeals vacancy that will arise when Chief Judge Joseph M. Getty turns 70 this coming April. This seat on the State’s highest court is for the Third Appellate Judicial Circuit, which includes Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard and Washington Counties. The nominees are:

Today, the Appellate Courts Judicial Nominating Commission nominated five judges and one attorney for the seat on the Court of Appeals of Maryland that will become vacant when Judge Robert McDonald reaches mandatory retirement age next month. The nominees are:

Today, Governor Larry Hogan announced the appointment of Rosalyn Tang to the seat on the Court of Special Appeals vacated upon the elevation of Judge Steven Gould to the Court of Appeals. She was among seven nominees for the vacancy. The press release states:

The U.S. Courts website shows that, on December 13, Fourth Circuit Judge Diana Gribbon Motz announced her intent to take senior status upon confirmation of her successor. The Baltimore-based judge served on the Court of Special Appeals from 1991 to 1994, until her nomination to the Fourth Circuit by President Clinton and confirmation by the Senate on a voice vote.

The Appellate Courts Judicial Nominating Commission has nominated three judges and four practitioners for the vacancy created on the Court of Special Appeals when Governor Hogan elevated Judge Steven Gould to the Court of Appeals.

The nominees are:

Four judges and three attorneys have applied for the Court of Appeals vacancy that will arise when Chief Judge Joseph M. Getty turns 70 this coming April. This expanded list of applicants comes after the vacancy was “re-advertised at the request of the Governor in order to attract as broad a field of candidates as possible consistent with his commitment to diversity and outreach.”

This seat on the State’s highest court is for the Third Appellate Judicial Circuit, which includes Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard and Washington Counties. The applicants are:

Following re-advertisement of the vacancy, “at the request of the Governor in order to attract as broad a field of candidates as possible consistent with his commitment to diversity and outreach,” six judges and six lawyers are now applying for the Court of Appeals vacancy that will arise when Judge Robert McDonald turns 70 this coming February.

The applicants are: