Governor O'Malley Appoints Nine Trial Court Judges
ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 28, 2010) –Governor O’Malley announced today the appointment of nine trial court judges to serve across the State in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Montgomery County. These judges will fill vacancies created by other judges’ retirements, as well as judgeships created by the General Assembly during the last legislative session.
“I am proud to appoint such a dedicated and accomplished group of candidates to serve on the State’s trial courts in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Montgomery County,” said Governor O’Malley. “The appointees are exceptionally hard-working, intelligent, fair-minded, and committed to public service. I am confident that these qualities will make them excellent additions to the bench.”
In order to select judges to serve on Maryland’s trial courts, Governor O’Malley conducted numerous interviews with candidates recommended to him by the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commissions. All of the appointees were recommended to him by the Commissions.
In Anne Arundel County, Governor O’Malley has appointed Laura S. Kiessling and Ronald H. Jarashow to serve on the Circuit Court and Thomas V. Miller, III to serve on the District Court. Ms. Kiesssling will fill a vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Michael E. Loney, Mr. Jarashow will fill a judgeship newly created by the General Assembly, and Mr. Miller will fill a vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Robert C. Wilcox.
Ms. Kiessling is a Deputy State’s Attorney and the Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit for the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office. She has extensive experience prosecuting homicides, child abuse, hate crimes, and juvenile matters. Ms. Kiessling graduated from the Columbus School of Law of the Catholic University of America, and she clerked for the Honorable Bruce C. Williams of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County.
Mr. Jarashow practices civil and criminal law with the firm of Franch, Jarashow & Smith, P.A. He has a diverse trial and business law practice, handling corporate, employment, personal injury, family law, and administrative law matters. He is a volunteer mediator in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, and he also serves on the Character Committee of the Maryland State Board of Law Examiners. Mr. Jarashow graduated from the Columbus School of Law of the Catholic University of America.
Mr. Miller is a commissioner on the Maryland Parole Commission. As a parole commissioner for the past 13 years, Mr. Miller has conducted parole hearings and parole revocation hearings. Before becoming a parole commissioner, Mr. Miller was in private practice. He began his legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in the Prince George’s County Public Defender’s Office. Mr. Miller graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
In Baltimore City, Governor O’Malley has appointed Kendra Y. Ausby, the Honorable Videtta A. Brown, Charles J. Peters, and Stephen J. Sfekas to serve on the Circuit Court. Ms. Ausby will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable John C. Themelis. Judge Brown will fill a judgeship newly created by the General Assembly. Mr. Peters will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Charles G. Bernstein. Mr. Sfekas will the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable John M. Glynn.
Ms. Ausby is the Principal Counsel for the Courts and Judicial Affairs Division of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. She joined the Office of the Attorney General in 2001 and spent several years representing Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Ms. Ausby was an Assistant Public Defender in Baltimore City. Ms. Ausby graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Judge Brown has served on the District Court for Baltimore City since 2008. Prior to joining the bench, she was a prosecutor in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office. While at the State’s Attorney’s Office, Judge Brown headed the Domestic Violence Unit and prosecuted felony narcotics and juvenile matters. Judge Brown teaches a Domestic Violence and the Law Seminar at the University of Maryland School of Law. In 2001, she received the Lieutenant Governor’s Women in Service Award. Judge Brown graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law.
Mr. Peters has been a prosecutor – at the State and federal levels – for most of his career. He is currently a federal prosecutor in the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, where he prosecutes major narcotics traffickers and violent crimes. Mr. Peters also has brought civil enforcement actions against fraudulent federal government contractors. In addition, for eight years he was a prosecutor in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office. Mr. Peters graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law and spent the early years of his career in private practice.
Mr. Sfekas is a Baltimore health care lawyer with a national practice in representing providers of services for the developmentally disabled. Currently a sole practitioner, Mr. Sfekas was formerly a partner at Saul Ewing LLP, and Miles & Stockbridge P.C., and a former Assistant Attorney General, representing Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. For over 15 years, he has taught health care law at the University of Baltimore Law School. He graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center and clerked for the Honorable Joseph H. Young of the U.S. District Court for Maryland.
In Montgomery County, Governor O’Malley has appointed the Honorable Cheryl A. McCally and Joseph M. Quirk to serve on the Circuit Court. Judge McCally will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Ann S. Harrington, and Mr. Quirk will fill a judgeship newly created by the General Assembly.
Judge McCally currently serves on the District Court for Montgomery County. Prior to joining the bench in 2006, Judge McCally handled a variety of criminal and civil cases while in private practice with McCally & Hall, P.C. For 15 years, she was a prosecutor with the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office. Judge McCally earned her J.D. from the Pepperdine University School of Law. She clerked for the Honorable Richard B. Latham of the Circuit Court for Montgomery County.
Mr. Quirk has practiced civil and criminal law in Rockville for over 35 years. He has litigated approximately 400 jury trials, mainly in Montgomery County courts. Since 1994, Mr. Quirk has specialized in family law. In 2005, he received the Pro Bono Legal Service Award from the John Carroll Society for Outstanding Contribution to the Archdiocesan Legal Network of Catholic Charities. Mr. Quirk graduated from the Columbus School of Law of the Catholic University of America.
More information on the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commissions established by Governor O’Malley can be found here.
