Maryland judicial news

From Judgepedia

News about or affecting the judiciary in Maryland.

Maryland Court of Special Appeals sides with school district

Maryland: The Maryland Court of Special Appeals issued an opinion last Friday, February 26, that was basically a ruling in favor of the Worcester County Board of Education being sued by a contracting company it had hired to do construction in 2004. The Worcester County Board of Education hired Beka Industries in 2004, but then replaced them with another contractor in 2005 after become unhappy with the pace of progress. In 2008 Circuit Court Judge Robert Karwacki sided with Beka and awarded them $1.1 million for the breach of contract lawsuit, this was, however, overturned by the Court of Special Appeals.^[1]

Conviction of man who threatened Maryland governor thrown out

Maryland: The Maryland Court of Special Appeals has thrown out the conviction of Walter Carl Abbott Jr., a man who had threatened state Governor Martin O'Malley in 2008 through email. The ruling came from a finding by the appeals court that the judge in the original trial did not properly explain tot he jury the difference between a real threat and protected free speech. Abbot had written an email to O'Malley saying that he would "strangle the life" out of him and was subsequently arrested a few hours later.^[1]

Brief filed over invalidated signitures

Maryland: Backers of a proposed referendum in the state of Maryland, in 2009 have filed a brief over the invalidation of a significant number of signatures on the referendum. In 2009 the Howard County Board of Elections threw out roughly 87% of all signatures based on an interpretation of a Maryland Court of Appeals decision that led them to believe that signatures are invalid if they are not exact matches to signatures used for voter registration. The proponents filed a lawsuit in the Federal District Court that failed in October of 2009.^[1]

Governor of Maryland appoints senator's son as judge

Maryland: The Governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley, appointed Thomas V. Miller III as a judge on the Anne Arundel County District Court on Thursday, January 28. Miller is the son of State Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr.^[1]

New murder trial for man in Maryland

Annapolis, Maryland: Due to a technicality on the judge's part, a Maryland man will get a second trial after being convicted of killing LaToya Taylor in 2006. The judge's mistake was not following a century old procedure known as "hearkening." Hearkening is what it is called when the judge asks jurors to confirm the verdict by asking them to "hearken to their verdict;" this is the alternative to polling the jurors.^[1]

Tire deflating judge resigns administrative post

Maryland: Judge Robert Nalley has resigned his position as Administrative Judge for the Charles County branch of the Seventh Circuit, Maryland Circuit Courts. Nalley has acknowledged deflating a tire on a car that was parked illegally near the courthouse. He told reporters that he did it because leaving notes on cars parked in the restricted area had proven ineffective.

Nalley will remain seated on the Seventh Circuit bench. La Plata Police Chief Cassin Gittings says an investigation into the tire deflation is ongoing. ^[1]

District of Maryland workload may rise

Maryland: With one current vacancy, the workload on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland is already at an average of 250 cases apiece per year. With the nomination from President Obama of Justice Andre Davis to the Fourth Circuit, that caseload may become heavier.

"It is an extremely busy court, and the judges carry heavy workloads, so my hope is that filling the vacancies is a high priority," said former federal prosecutor Steve Levin, now in private practice in Baltimore. ^[1]

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