ANNAPOLIS — The newest member of Maryland’s top court pledged Thursday to “work hard every day to justify” her seat on the Court of Appeals. “I am truly humbled by this appointment,” Judge Brynja M. Booth said at her ceremonial ...

Tagged with: Brynja Booth Court of Appeals Larry Hogan Mary Ellen Barbera

Criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors recognize the fallibility of eyewitnesses but disagree on whether the Maryland Judiciary should change its standards for determining the admissibility of their testimony at trial. Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera recently ...

Tagged with: eyewitness testimony Mary Ellen Barbera

Maryland’s top judge called Monday on the state’s judiciary to consider easing its outdated deference to eyewitnesses’ identification of criminal defendants, saying research and other states’ courts have found such testimony is often flawed regardless of how certain the witness ...

Tagged with: eyewitness identification innocence project Mary Ellen Barbera

Attorneys for the U.S. government and Maryland squared off last week at the Supreme Court over whether the Constitution permits the state to collect taxes from the congressionally chartered national bank without its consent. Former Acting U.S. Solicitor General Neal ...

Tagged with: Gregory Garre Joseph Getty Mary Ellen Barbera McCulloch v. Maryland Neal Katyal necessary and proper reenactment Roger Gregory

ANNAPOLIS – Maryland should stop permitting the election of circuit court judges because the practice politicizes the judicial process, which must be free of even the appearance of being tainted by special interests or well-heeled donors, the state’s top jurist ...

Tagged with: Benjamin Kramer Judicial Elections Martin O'Malley Mary Ellen Barbera parris glendening robert bell

ANNAPOLIS – The General Assembly’s auditing arm has recommended that lawmakers slash $21.2 million from the Maryland Judiciary’s $549 million budget request next fiscal year over the objections of Maryland’s top jurist. The Department of Legislative Services’ suggested cuts include ...

Tagged with: Department of Legislative Services Mary Ellen Barbera maryland judiciary

ANNAPOLIS – Appearing before a joint General Assembly session, Maryland’s top judge said Wednesday that the Maryland judiciary, legislature and executive branch share in the responsibility to act “with diligence and integrity and abiding respect for the rule of law.” ...

Tagged with: Mary Ellen Barbera maryland judiciary rule of law

ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Judiciary relied on more than just a rote application of caseload per judge in preparing its pending request that the General Assembly create seven additional trial court judgeships in fiscal year 2020, which begins July 1. ...

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ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Judiciary will ask the General Assembly to create seven additional trial court judgeships to help handle an overwhelming caseload, the state’s top jurist stated in a recent letter to legislative leaders. The proposal, to be introduced ...

Tagged with: judgeships Mary Ellen Barbera maryland judiciary

ANNAPOLIS — Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera on Wednesday swore in the governor who will appoint her successor. Barbera will reach Maryland’s mandatory retirement age of 70 in September 2021, when Gov. Larry Hogan will be ...

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