United States District Court for the District of Maryland

United States District Court for the District of Maryland (D. Md.)
Map
Appeals to	Fourth Circuit
Established	September 24, 1789
Judges assigned	10
Chief judge	Deborah K. Chasanow
Official site

The United States District Court for the District of Maryland (in case citations, D. Md.) is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Maryland.

Appeals from the District of Maryland are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

Notable judges in this district include William Paca, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court.

Organization of the court

Under 28 U.S.C. § 100, Maryland consists of a single federal judicial district with two statutory divisions. The Southern Division includes Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's, and St. Mary's counties and sits in Greenbelt. The Northern Division includes the rest of the state and sits in Baltimore, although the statute also provides for the court to sit in Cumberland and Denton.

Active Judges

#	Judge	Duty station	Born	Appointed	Chief	Appointed by
35	Deborah K. Chasanow	Greenbelt	1948	1993	2010–	Clinton
34	Benson Everett Legg	Baltimore	1947	1991	2003–2010	G.H.W. Bush
37	Alexander Williams, Jr.	Greenbelt	1948	1994	——	Clinton
38	Catherine C. Blake	Baltimore	1950	1995	——	Clinton
40	William D. Quarles Jr.	Baltimore	1948	2003	——	G.W. Bush
41	Richard D. Bennett	Baltimore	1947	2003	——	G.W. Bush
42	Roger W. Titus	Greenbelt	1941	2003	——	G.W. Bush
43	James K. Bredar	Baltimore	1957	2010	——	Obama
44	Ellen Lipton Hollander	Baltimore	1949	2010	——	Obama
—	Vacant (Former Seat of Peter Jo Messitte)

Vacancies and pending nominations

Seat Last Held By	Vacancy Reason	Date of Vacancy	Nominee	Date of Nomination
Peter Jo Messitte	Senior status	September 1, 2008	George Levi Russell, III	November 10, 2011

Senior Judges

The following judges hold Senior status:

#	Judge	Duty station[1]	Born	Active service	Chief	Senior since	Appointed by
29	J. Frederick Motz	Baltimore	1942	1985–2010	1994–2001	2010	Reagan
32	Marvin J. Garbis	Baltimore	1936	1989–2003	——	2003	G.H.W. Bush
33	William M. Nickerson	Baltimore	1933	1990–2002	——	2002	G.H.W. Bush
36	Peter Jo Messitte	Greenbelt	1941	1993–2008	——	2008	Clinton

Former Judges

#	Judge	State	Born/Died	Active service	Term as Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Paca, WilliamWilliam Paca	MD	1740–1799	1789[2]–1799	(none)	(none)	Washington, Washington	death
2	Winchester, JamesJames Winchester	MD	1772–1806	1799–1806	(none)	(none)	Adams, J.J. Adams	death
3	Houston, JamesJames Houston	MD	1767–1819	1806–1819	(none)	(none)	Jefferson, Jefferson	death
4	Bland, TheodorickTheodorick Bland	MD	1776–1846	1819[3]–1824	(none)	(none)	Monroe, Monroe	resignation
5	Glenn, EliasElias Glenn	MD	1769–1846	1824[4]–1836	(none)	(none)	Monroe, Monroe	resignation
6	Heath, Upton ScottUpton Scott Heath	MD	1784–1852	1836–1852	(none)	(none)	Jackson, Jackson	death
7	Glenn, JohnJohn Glenn	MD	1795–1853	1852–1853	(none)	(none)	Fillmore, Fillmore	death
8	Giles, William FellWilliam Fell Giles	MD	1807–1879	1853[5]–1879	(none)	(none)	Pierce, Pierce	death
9	Morris, Thomas JohnThomas John Morris	MD	1837–1912	1879–1912	(none)	(none)	Hayes, Hayes	death
10	Rose, John CarterJohn Carter Rose	MD	1861–1927	1910–1922	(none)	(none)	Taft, Taft	appointment to 4th Cir.
11	Soper, Morris AmesMorris Ames Soper	MD	1873–1963	1923–1931	(none)	(none)	Harding, Harding	appointment to 4th Cir.
12	Coleman, William CaldwellWilliam Caldwell Coleman	MD	1884–1968	1927–1955	1948–1955	(none)	Coolidge, Coolidge	resignation
13	Chesnut, William CalvinWilliam Calvin Chesnut	MD	1873–1962	1931[6]–1953	(none)	1953–1962	Hoover, Hoover	death
14	Thomsen, Roszel CathcartRoszel Cathcart Thomsen	MD	1900–1992	1954–1971	1955–1970	1971–1992	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
15	Watkins, Robert DorseyRobert Dorsey Watkins	MD	1900–1986	1955[7]–1971	1970	1971–1986	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	death
16	Northrop, Edward SkottoweEdward Skottowe Northrop	MD	1911–2003	1961–1981	1970–1981	1981–2003	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
17	Winter, Harrison LeeHarrison Lee Winter	MD	1921–1990	1961[8]–1966	(none)	(none)	Kennedy, Kennedy	appointment to 4th Cir.
18	II, Alexander HarveyAlexander Harvey II	MD	1923-present	1966–1991	1986–1991	1991–2004	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	retirement
19	Kaufman, Frank AlbertFrank Albert Kaufman	MD	1916–1997	1966–1986	1981–1986	1986–1997	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
20	Miller Jr., James RogersJames Rogers Miller Jr.	MD	1931–present	1970–1986	(none)	(none)	Nixon, Nixon	retirement
21	Blair, Charles StanleyCharles Stanley Blair	MD	1927–1980	1971–1980	(none)	(none)	Nixon, Nixon	death
22	Murray, Herbert FrazierHerbert Frazier Murray	MD	1923–1999	1971–1988	(none)	1988–1999	Nixon, Nixon	death
23	Young, Joseph H.Joseph H. Young	MD	1922–present	1971–1987	(none)	1987–2002	Nixon, Nixon	retirement
24	Howard, Sr., Joseph C.Joseph C. Howard, Sr.	MD	1922–2000	1979–1991	(none)	1991–2000	Carter, Carter	death
25	Jones, Shirley BrannockShirley Brannock Jones	MD	1925–present	1979–1982	(none)	(none)	Carter, Carter	resignation
26	Ramsey, Norman ParkNorman Park Ramsey	MD	1922–1993	1980–1991	(none)	1991–1992	Carter, Carter	retirement
27	Black Jr., Walter EvanWalter Evan Black Jr.	MD	1926-present	1982–1994	1992-1994	1994–2003	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
28	Hargrove, Sr., John R.John R. Hargrove, Sr.	MD	1923–1997	1984–1994	(none)	1994–1997	Reagan, Reagan	death
30	Smalkin, Frederic N.Frederic N. Smalkin	MD	1946–present	1986–2003	2001-2003	2003-2011	Reagan, Reagan	retirement
31	Niemeyer, Paul V.Paul V. Niemeyer	MD	1941–present	1988–1990	(none)	(none)	Reagan, Reagan	appointment to 4th Cir.
39	Davis, Andre M.Andre M. Davis	MD	1949–present	1995–2009	(none)	(none)	Clinton, Clinton	appointment to 4th Cir.

Succession of Seats

Seat 1 Established on September 24, 1789 by 1 Stat. 73 William Paca 1789–1799 James Winchester 1799–1806 James Houston 1806–1819 Theodorick Bland 1819–1824 Elias Glenn 1824–1836 Upton Scott Heath 1836–1852 John Glenn 1852–1853 William Fell Giles 1853–1879 Thomas John Morris 1879–1912 Terminated on June 6, 1912 by 36 Stat. 201. Reestablished on March 3, 1927 by 44 Stat. 1346. William Caldwell Coleman 1927–1955 Robert Dorsey Watkins 1955–1971 Joseph H. Young 1971–1987 Marvin J. Garbis 1989–2003 Roger W. Titus 2003–

Seat 2 Established on February 24, 1910 by 36 Stat. 201 John Carter Rose 1910–1922 Morris Ames Soper 1923–1931 William Calvin Chesnut 1931–1953 Roszel Cathcart Thomsen 1954–1971 Herbert Frazier Murray 1971–1988 William M. Nickerson 1990–2002 William D. Quarles 2003–

Seat 3 Established on March 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 Edward Skottowe Northrop 1961–1981 Walter Evan Black Jr. 1982–1994 Andre M. Davis 1995–2009 Ellen Lipton Hollander 2010-

Seat 4 Established on March 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 Harrison Lee Winter 1961–1966 Alexander Harvey II 1966–1991 Deborah K. Chasanow 1993–

Seat 5 Established on March 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Frank Albert Kaufman 1966–1986 Paul V. Niemeyer 1988–1990 Benson Everett Legg 1991–

Seat 6 Established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 James Rogers Miller, Jr. 1970–1986 Frederic N. Smalkin 1986–2003 Richard D. Bennett 2003–

Seat 7 Established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 Charles Stanley Blair 1971–1980 Norman P. Ramsey 1980–1991 Alexander Williams, Jr. 1994–

Seat 8 Established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Joseph C. Howard, Sr. 1979–1991 Peter Jo Messitte 1993–2008 Vacant

Seat 9 Established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Shirley Brannock Jones 1979–1982 John R. Hargrove, Sr. 1984–1994 Catherine C. Blake 1995–

Seat 10 Established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 J. Frederick Motz 1985–2010 James K. Bredar 2010

U.S. Attorneys for the District of Maryland

Main article: United States Attorney for the District of Maryland

• Richard Potts (1789–1792)
• Zebulon Hollingsworth (1792–1806)
• John Stephen (1806–1810)
• Thomas B. Dorsey (1810–1812)
• Elias Glenn (1812–1824)
• Nathaniel Williams (1824–1841)
• Z. Collins Lee (1841–1845)
• William L. Marshall (1845–1850)
• Z. Collins Lee (1850–1853)
• William M. Addison (1853–1862)
• William Price (1862–1865)
• William J. Jones (1865–1866)
• William Price (1866–1867)
• Andrew Sterett Ridgley (1867–1869)
• Archibald Stirling, Jr. (1869–1886)
• Thomas Gordon Hayes (1886–1890)
• John T. Ensor (1890–1894)
• William L. Marbury (1894–1898)
• John C. Rose (1898–1910)
• John P. Hill (1910–1915)
• Samuel K. Dennis (1915–1920)
• Robert R. Carman (1920–1922)
• Amos W. W. Woodcock (1922–1931)
• Simon E. Sobeloff (1931–1934)
• Bernard J. Flynn (1934–1953)
• George C. Doub (1953–1956)
• Walter E. Black, Jr. (1956–1957)
• Leon H. A. Pierson (1957–1961)
• Joseph D. Tydings (1961–1963)
• Robert H. Kernon (1963)
• Thomas J. Kenney (1963–1967)
• Stephen H. Sachs (1967–1970)
• George Beall (1970–1975)
• Jervis S. Finney (1975–1978)
• Russell T. Baker (1978–1981)
• Herbert Better* (1981)
• J. Frederick Motz (1981–1985)
• Catherine C. Blake* (1985–1986)
• Breckinridge L. Willcox (1986–1991)
• Richard D. Bennett (1991–1993)
• Gary P. Jordan* (1993)
• Lynne A. Battaglia (1993–2001)
• Stephen Schenning* (2001)
• Thomas M. DiBiagio (2001–2005)
• Allen F. Loucks* (2005)
• Rod J. Rosenstein (2005–present)

* designates interim U.S. Attorneys who served when there was no presidentially-appointed U.S. Attorney.

See also

• Courts of Maryland
• List of United States federal courthouses in Maryland

Sources

•  This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document "Former Maryland United States Attorneys".

1. ^ "Fourth Circuit Judges". Official website of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. http://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/Judges.htm. Retrieved June 1, 2005. 
2. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on February 8, 1790, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 10, 1790, and received commission on February 10, 1790.
3. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 3, 1820, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 5, 1820, and received commission on January 5, 1820.
4. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 16, 1824, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 3, 1825, and received commission on January 3, 1825.
5. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 19, 1853, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 11, 1854, and received commission on January 11, 1854.
6. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 15, 1931, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 12, 1932, and received commission on January 12, 1932.
7. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 12, 1956, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 1, 1956, and received commission on March 2, 1956.
8. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1962, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 7, 1962, and received commission on February 17, 1962.

External links

• United States District Court for the District of Maryland Official Website
• United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Official Website