The District Court

RECEIVED 914702 \-*u*««^2fc. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MARYLAND JUDICIARY 1989-1990 Administrative Office of the Courts Courts of Appeal Building Post Office Box 431 Annapolis, Maryland 21404 301/974-2141 COVER: From Top to Bottom Stairway, Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., Courthouse; Baltimore Newly Renovated Entrance, Courthouse East, Baltimore Stairway and Main Lobby, Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., Courthouse; Baltimore Report prepared by the Administrative Office of the Courts Michael V. O'Malley Peter J. Lally FayeD. Gaskin Norma P. Gainer Graphics Robert Termini George N. Weber Photographs MariganH. O'Malley Court and County Seals provided by the Department of General Services Carleton W. Hayek Carolyn Anderson Contents Letter of Transmittal v Introduction vii State of the Judiciary Message 1 Judicial Revenues and Expenditures 9 The Maryland Judicial System 13 Judicial Circuits and Districts 16 Members of the Maryland Judiciary 17 The Court of Appeals 19 The Court of Special Appeals 27 The Circuit Courts 37 The District Court 71 Judicial Administration 87 Administrative Office of the Courts 89 Judicial Education and Information Services 89 Judicial Information Systems 91 Judicial Special Projects 92 Judicial Research and Planning Services 92 Judicial Administrative Services 92 Judicial Personnel Services 92 Sentencing Guidelines 93 Liaison with the Legislative and Executive Branches 94 Circuit Court Administration 94 District Court of Maryland 95 Assignment of Judges 96 Court-Related Units 97 Board of Law Examiners 99 Rules Committee 101 State Law Library 103 Attorney Grievance Commission 104 Clients' Security Trust Fund 105 Judicial Conferences 107 The Maryland Judicial Conference 109 Conference of Circuit Judges 110 Administrative Judges Committee of the District Court Ill Appointment, Discipline, and Removal of Judges 113 Judicial Nominating Commissions 115 Removal and Discipline of Judges 119 The Commission on Judicial Disabilities 119 1990 Legislation Affecting the Courts 121 Listing of Tables and Definitions 125 Listing of Tables 127 Definitions 129 m Letter of Transmittal ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS COURTS OF APPEAL BUILDING ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 21401 974-2141 STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR A' /AJS,^i''- "A DEPUTY STATE COURT ADMINISTRATORS OEOROE B. RIGGIN. JR. I " * MMKllV': " 1 ROBERT W. McKEEVER FRANK BROCCOLINA September 1, 1990 This is the fourteenth Annual Report of the Maryland Judiciary which includes the thirty-fifth Annual Report of the Administrative Office of the Courts, as required by § 13-101(d)(9) of the Courts Article. The report covers Fiscal Year 1990, beginning July 1, 1989, and ending June 30, 1990. The report provides data on the operation and functions of the Maryland courts. It presents statistical information on both individual courts and an overview of the Maryland judicial system as a whole. It is hoped this will provide a ready source of information to better understand Maryland court structure and operations. The Administrative Office of the Courts is indebted to clerks of the appellate courts, the circuit courts of the counties and Baltimore City, and to clerks of the District Court of Maryland for their invaluable assistance in providing the statistics on which most of this report is based. My thanks to them and to all those whose talents contributed to the preparation of this publication. Ar71^^ George B. Riggin, Jr. State Court Administrator FAX NUMBER: (SOD S74-2063 TTY FOR DEAF! ANNAPOLIS AREA P974 - 2008 WASHINGTON AREA P8«a - 04B0 Introduction ROBERT C. MURPHY CHIEF JUDGE LOURT OF APPEALS OF MARYLANI COURTS OF APPEAL BUILDING ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND amoi September 1, 1990 The Annual Report of the Maryland Judiciary (1989- 1990) presents a detailed public accounting of the work of the judges and nonjudicial personnel of the Judicial Branch of State Government. It is the product of much arduous work by the dedicated and highly skilled staff of the Administrative Office of the Courts. So well does the Report portray the many operational facets of Maryland's court system and its adjunct appendages, that I commend it to your earnest reading. Most assuredly, it will enlighten the reader in the great breadth and scope of the activities of the Third Branch of Government. Robert C. Murphy \) Chief Judge VM STATE OF THE JUDICIARY MESSAGE State of the Judiciary Message To a Joint Session of the General Assembly of Maryland Delivered by addressing the Congress over a a new century. Congress, for example, Chief Judge Robert C. Murphy century ago, he said that he was created a 15-member federal courts January 12,1990 thankful for all the Congress had done study commission to develop for the country but regretted that it means—other than adding judges to had not done more. Echoing President the federal system—to cope with the Governor Schaefer, President Miller, Grant's sentiments, the "more" which ever-increasing federal court case- Speaker Mitchell, Ladies and Gentle- I would have you consider favorably, load. Much of that increase results men of the General Assembly: among others, include authorizing from the tidal wave of drug-related This is my ninth visit to these six-person juries in civil cases in the prosecutions—cases so numerous, historic chambers to speak with you circuit courts; increasing the mone- according to the Chief Justice of the about the state of the Maryland tary amount in controversy necessary United States in his year-end report, Judiciary; your invitations to me now for a jury trial in civil cases; the as to constitute a 280 percent increase span three decades, beginning in the abolition of the utterly senseless de since 1980 in federal drug prosecu- early 1970s, running through the '80s, novo trial procedure in cases appealed tions, and which now comprise and now into the '90s, as we start the from the District Court to the circuit roughly 44 percent of all federal countdown to a new and, I expect, courts; the reduction of maximum district court criminal cases. The very difficult and demanding 21st sentences, now rarely imposed, to less federal commission is suggesting, century. than ninety days for certain misde- among other remedies, that federal Before getting underway with my meanor offenses within the jurisdic- jurisdiction over a substantial number 97-minute address, permit me to first tion of the District Court, thereby of cases be transferred to state courts acknowledge the presence of my preventing the transfer of these cases which already handle roughly 95 esteemed Court of Appeals col- to the circuit courts, pursuant to a percent of the nation's litigation. State leagues—in transcending order of specious jury trial demand made courts are, of course, themselves seniority, Judges John C. Eldridge, primarily for the purpose of delaying inundated with drug cases. In Balti- Harry A. Cole, Lawrence F. prosecution; and abolishing contested more City, for example, in calendar Rodowsky, John F. McAuliffe, and elections for circuit court judge- year 1988, there were 13,459 drug William H. Adkins, II. Until his ships—a reform certain to quadruple abuse arrests alone, roughly 44 retirement on January 1 of this year, the number of lawyers who present percent of all such arrests in the entire Judge Albert T. Blackwell, Jr., was themselves for appointment to the all- State. And these figures do not the Court's seventh judge; pending important circuit courts of the State. encompass those many crimes where, Senate confirmation, Judge Howard While these proposals have all been as in larceny and robbery, a precip- S. Chasanow of the Circuit Court for advanced in earlier years, and enjoy itating factor is the need to steal, Prince George's County will replace widespread support, you have not as violently if necessary, to obtain drugs. him, hopefully by January 17. To say yet been persuaded of their merit. New York has established a that Judge Chasanow is eager is the Finding some solace in the recent Commission on the Courts of the 21st height of understatement; all of us enactment, after some 20 years of Century to develop a judicial oper- welcome him with open arms. rejection, of the "covered loads" bill, ating plan suitable to the long-range Within my almost 18 years as we will continue to press for these needs of the people of that state. The Chief Judge of the State's highest measures, although as to the circuit Chief Judge of New York suggests Court, and administrative head of the court election bill, we will give it a that the drug crisis, which is over- Judicial Branch of Government, this rest this session, having been reliably whelming the courts of that state, is distinguished body has enacted a informed, in the vernacular, that "this only at its beginning, not its middle substantial mass of far-sighted legis- just ain't the year for that to fly." or at the end, and that the crisis will lation for the betterment of our judi- Moving to firmer ground, the deepen and expand. He speaks of cial system; and, for that, all judges federal court system, and those of a endless streams of crack addicts in and supporting nonjudicial personnel number of states, have established New York courts, exhausted police are most grateful to you. Having said high-level commissions to develop officers, and grim-faced judges—all that, forgive me for remembering the long-range plans to meet the demands occupying center stage in the count- words of that great phrasemaker— that will most assuredly confront the less tragedies played out every day in President Ulysses S. Grant—when, in courts as we stand on the brink of that state's innumerable courtrooms. Annual Report of the Maryland Judiciary Arizona has a 34-member Commis- devotion to our historic origins, be These courts—the Court of Appeals, sion on the Future of the Arizona permitted to maintain the status quo the Court of Special Appeals (the Courts, which has made many recom- where more effective means are at State's intermediate appellate court), mendations to enable its courts to hand to implement the overriding and the District Court of Maryland meet the many new challenges antic- interests of the public.

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