To the legions of Maryland lawyers sworn in over the last quarter century, his signature was the imprimatur that sanctioned their membership in the profession. To Bessie Decker, who succeeded him as clerk of the Court of Appeals just last week, Alexander L. Cummings was a “dear friend” and a “good teacher.”

“He gave us that room to do our jobs without having him look over us,” Decker said of Cummings, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 66.

What’s your favorite memory of the former clerk?

BARBARA GRZINCIC, Managing Editor/Law