Moore appoints five judges in Prince George’s, Harford counties

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Gov. Wes Moore announced the appointment of five judges, four in Prince George’s County and one in Harford County on Friday.

The Hon. Stacey Maria Cobb Smith and the Hon. Donnaka Varner Lewis were named to the Prince George’s County Circuit Court. Sherrie Waldrup and Melissa Alesia Pryce were named to the Prince George’s County District Court. Donald Foster Walter Jr. was named to the Harford County District Court.

“These five appointees have already proven their fidelity to the rule of law through illustrious careers in public service. We look forward to seeing how they build on that legacy through these new roles on the bench,” said Gov. Moore. “In Maryland, we remain deeply committed to realizing the promise of equal justice for all. And I am confident that each of these five exemplary public servants will move us closer to that noble ideal.”

Cobb Smith was appointed to the Prince George’s County District Court in 2020. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Cobb Smith was a prosecutor with the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for her entire 12-year legal career, serving for four years as chief of the major crimes unit. She received her law degree from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.

Lewis has served as an associate judge for the Prince George’s County District Court since 2016. Prior to her appointment to the district court, Judge Lewis served 12 years as an assistant state’s attorney for Prince George’s County. She received her law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Waldrup is currently the chief of both the homicide unit and the strategic investigations unit in the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she has spent the majority of her career. She began as an assistant state’s attorney in the district court division in 2008 and has been a homicide prosecutor for the past nine years. Waldrup is a graduate the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri.

Pryce has been a public defender for most of her 18-year legal career. In October 2021, Pryce became the first Black district public defender for Prince George’s County after serving as the deputy district public defender for two years. Prior to serving as deputy district public defender, Pryce was a supervising attorney in the felony trial unit and was designated as one of six homicide attorneys. Before joining the public defender’s office, Pryce spent three years as an associate with Largo-based law firm Henry & Associates. She earned her law degree from the Howard University School of Law.

Walter has served as counsel to the National Security Agency for the past two years. As an attorney in the National Security Agency General Counsel’s Office, he handled criminal and civil litigation. Prior to joining the National Security Agency, Walter spent his career as a prosecutor working in both Baltimore City and Harford County, spending six years as chief of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office Juvenile Division. As a prosecutor, Walter served in Harford County for seven years in both the district and circuit court divisions, and in Baltimore City for two years.

Walter received his law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law.