United States District Court for the District of Maryland
| District of Maryland |
|---|
| Fourth Circuit |
 |
| Judgeships |
| Posts: 10 |
| Judges: 10 |
| Vacancies: 0 |
| Judges |
| Chief:George L. Russell, III |
| Active judges:Adam Abelson,Deborah Boardman,Theodore Chuang,Stephanie A. Gallagher,Lydia Kay Griggsby,Brendan Hurson,Matthew Maddox,Julie Rubin,George L. Russell III,Paula Xinis Senior judges: |
TheUnited States District Court for the District of Maryland is one of 94United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit based in downtownRichmond, Virginia, at the Lewis F. Powell Federal Courthouse.
Vacancies
- See also:Current federal judicial vacancies
There are no current vacancies on theUnited States District Court for the District of Maryland, out of the court's 10 judicial positions.
Pending nominations
There are no pending nominees for this court.
Active judges
Article III judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2012 - | Morehouse College, 1988 | University of Maryland Law, 1991 | ||
| May 2, 2014 - | Harvard, 1991 | Harvard Law School, 1994 | ||
| May 18, 2016 - | University of Virginia, 1991 | Yale Law School, 1997 | ||
| September 13, 2019 - | Georgetown University, 1994 | Harvard Law School, 1997 | ||
| June 25, 2021 - | Villanova University, 1996 | University of Virginia School of Law, 2000 | ||
| July 20, 2021 - | University of Pennsylvania, 1990 | Georgetown University Law Center, 1993 | ||
| March 30, 2022 - | Mount Holyoke College, 1995 | University of Maryland, 1998 | ||
| October 6, 2023 - | Providence College, 2000 | University of Maryland School of Law, 2005 | ||
| November 3, 2023 - | Morgan State University, 1999 | Yale Law School, 2011 | ||
| September 12, 2024 - | Princeton University | New York University School of Law |
Active Article III judges by appointing political party
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 9
- Republican appointed: 1
Senior judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 11, 2002 - | University of Virginia, 1955 | University of Maryland Law, 1962 | ||
| October 3, 2014 - | Rutgers University, 1970 | Stanford University Law, 1974 | ||
| April 2, 2021 - | Harvard-Radcliffe College, 1972 | Harvard Law, 1975 | ||
| June 23, 2021 - | University of Pennsylvania, 1969 | University of Maryland Law, 1973 | ||
| January 4, 2022 - | Goucher College, 1971 | Georgetown University Law Center, 1974 | ||
| April 30, 2024 - | Harvard University, 1979 | Georgetown University, 1982 |
Senior judges by appointing political party
The list below displays the number of senior judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democratic appointed: 4
- Republican appointed: 2
Magistrate judges
Federal magistrate judges are federal judges who serve inUnited States district courts, but they are not appointed by the president and they do not serve life terms. Magistrate judges are assigned duties by the district judges in the district in which they serve. They may preside over most phases of federal proceedings, except for criminal felony trials. The specific duties of a magistrate judge vary from district to district, but the responsibilities always include handling matters that would otherwise be on the dockets of the district judges. Full-time magistrate judges serve for renewable terms of eight years. Some federal district courts have part-time magistrate judges, who serve for renewable terms of four years.[1]
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | October 24, 1994 - | Western Maryland College, 1973 | University of Maryland Law, 1980 | |
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | February 26, 1996 - | Rosary College, 1970 | Northwestern University Law, 1973 | |
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | February 18, 1997 - | University of Maryland, 1978 | University of Maryland Law, 1984 | |
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | March 23, 2012 - | Western Maryland College, 1975 | University of Baltimore Law, 1992 | |
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | December 20, 2012 - | Marquette University, 1984 | Georgetown University Law Center, 1987 | |
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | August 1, 2014 - | LaSalle University, 1995 | Duke University School of Law, 1991 | |
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | March 28, 2016 - | University of Baltimore | University of Baltimore | |
United States District Court for the District of Maryland | November 20, 2017 - | Swarthmore College, 1987 | The George Washington University Law School, 1992 |
Former chief judges
In order to qualify for the office ofchief judge in an Article III circuit or district court, or on theUnited States Court of International Trade, a judge must be in active service and hold seniority over the court's commissioned judges who are 64 years of age or under, have served one year or more, and have not previously served as chief judge.[2]
In the event that no judge on the court meets those qualifications, the youngest judge in regular active service aged 65 years or more and who has served as a judge for one year or more shall become chief judge. If no judge meets those qualifications, the judge holding seniority in active service who has not served as chief before shall become the chief judge.[3][4][5]
The chief judge serves for a term of seven years until another judge becomes eligible to serve in the position. No judge is permitted to serve as chief judge after reaching the age of 70 years unless no other judge is qualified to serve.[3][4][5]
Unlike the chief justice of the United States, a chief judge returns to active service after the expiration of their term and does not create a vacancy on the court by the fact of their promotion.[2][3][4][5]
On theUnited States Court of Federal Claims, the chief judge is selected by thepresident of the United States. The judge must be less than 70 years of age. A chief may serve until they reach age 70 or until another judge is designated by the president as the new chief judge. If the president selects a new chief judge, the former chief judge may continue active service on the court for the remainder of their appointed term.[6]
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Former judges
For more information about the judges of the District of Rhode Island, seeformer federal judges of the District of Maryland.
Jurisdiction
The District of Maryland hasoriginal jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
There are two court divisions, each covering the following counties:
TheBaltimore (Northern) Division, coveringAllegany,Anne Arundel,Baltimore,Baltimore City,Caroline,Carroll,Cecil,Dorchester,Frederick,Garrett,Harford,Howard,Kent,Queen Anne's,Somerset,Talbot,Washington,Wicomico, andWorcester counties
TheGreenbelt (Southern) Division, coveringCalvert,Charles,Montgomery,Prince George's, andSt. Mary's counties
Caseloads
This section contains court management statistics dating back to 2010. It was last updated in September 2025. Click[show] below for more information on caseload terms and definitions.
| Caseload statistics explanation | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Explanation | ||||||||
| Cases filed and terminated | The number of civil and criminal lawsuits formally initiated or decided by the court in a calendar year. The chart below reflects the table columnsCases filed andCases terminated. | ||||||||
| Average time from filing to disposition | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to date of disposition (acquittal, sentencing, dismissal, etc.). The chart below reflects the table columnsMedian time (Criminal) andMedian time (Civil). | ||||||||
| Starting case load | The number of cases pending from the previous calendar year. | ||||||||
| Cases filed | The number of civil and criminal lawsuits formally initiated in a calendar year. | ||||||||
| Cases terminated | The total number of civil and criminal lawsuits decided by the court in a calendar year. | ||||||||
| Remaining cases | The number of civil and criminal cases pending at the end of a given year. | ||||||||
| Median time (Criminal) | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to the date of disposition. In criminal cases, the date of disposition occurs on the day of sentencing or acquittal/dismissal. | ||||||||
| Median time (Civil) | The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to the date of disposition. | ||||||||
| Three-year civil cases | The number and percent of civil cases that were filed more than three years before the end of the given calendar year. | ||||||||
| Vacant posts | The number of months during the year an authorized judgeship was vacant. | ||||||||
| Trial/Post | The number of trials completed divided by the number of authorized judgeships on the court. Trials include evidentiary trials, hearings on temporary restraining orders, and preliminary injunctions. | ||||||||
| United States District Court for the District of Maryland caseload stats, 2010-2024 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Cases Filed | Cases Terminated | Cases Pending | Number of Judgeships | Vacant Judgeship Months | Average Total Filings per Judgeship | Trials Completed per Judgeship | Median time from filing to disposition, criminal | Median time from filing to disposition, civil | Three-year civil cases (#) | Three-year civil cases (%) |
| 2010 | 4,911 | 4,522 | 4,759 | 10 | 24 | 491 | 23 | 11 | 7 | 425 | 13 |
| 2011 | 4,607 | 4,627 | 4,211 | 10 | 12 | 461 | 23 | 12 | 8 | 195 | 6 |
| 2012 | 4,785 | 5,149 | 4,495 | 10 | 18 | 479 | 22 | 13 | 7 | 201 | 6 |
| 2013 | 5,177 | 5,181 | 4,501 | 10 | 8 | 518 | 20 | 13 | 8 | 139 | 4 |
| 2014 | 5,027 | 4,988 | 4,519 | 10 | 10 | 503 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 153 | 5 |
| 2015 | 5,032 | 5,035 | 4,445 | 10 | 12 | 503 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 150 | 5 |
| 2016 | 5,352 | 4,829 | 4,865 | 10 | 23 | 535 | 18 | 12 | 7 | 158 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5,034 | 4,866 | 5,031 | 10 | 24 | 503 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 183 | 5 |
| 2018 | 5,091 | 4,840 | 5,290 | 10 | 7 | 509 | 20 | 13 | 8 | 180 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4,790 | 4,492 | 5,596 | 10 | 8 | 479 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 435 | 10 |
| 2020 | 4,503 | 3,857 | 6,254 | 10 | 0 | 450 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 612 | 12 |
| 2021 | 4,057 | 4,405 | 5,922 | 10 | 0 | 406 | 10 | 19 | 10 | 891 | 19 |
| 2022 | 4,173 | 4,723 | 5,385 | 10 | 1 | 417 | 12 | 19 | 9 | 885 | 21 |
| 2023 | 4,347 | 4,830 | 4,919 | 10 | 0 | 435 | 10 | 22 | 9 | 532 | 14 |
| 2024 | 4,504 | 4,561 | 4,869 | 10 | 4 | 450 | 13 | 20 | 7 | 433 | 12 |
| Average | 4,759 | 4,727 | 5,004 | 10 | 10 | 476 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 371 | 9 |
History
Court history
The District of Maryland was established by Congress on September 24, 1789, with one post to cover the entire state. Over time, nine additional judicial posts were added to the court for a total of ten current posts.[7]
Judicial posts
The following table highlights the development of judicial posts for the District of Maryland:[7]
| Year | Statute | Total Seats |
| September 24, 1789 | 1 Stat. 73 | 1 |
| February 24, 1910 | 36 Stat. 201 | 2 (1 Temporary) |
| 1912 | Post Expired | 1 |
| March 3, 1927 | 44 Stat. 1346 | 2 |
| May 19, 1961 | 75 Stat 80 | 4 |
| March 18, 1966 | 80 Stat. 75 | 5 |
| June 2, 1970 | 84 Stat. 294 | 7 |
| October 20, 1978 | 92 Stat. 1629 | 9 |
| July 10, 1984 | 98 Stat. 333 | 10 |
Noteworthy cases
For a searchable list of opinions, please seeOpinions of the District of Maryland.
Before the U.S. Supreme Court
This section focuses on cases the U.S. Supreme Court heard that originated in this court. To suggest cases we should cover here,email us.
2024-2025 term
The following case was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court during the 2024-2025 term.
| 2024-2025 United States District Court for the District of Maryland | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Case | Opinion author | Decision | Vote |
| Trump v. CASA, Inc. | Amy Coney Barrett | partiallystayed | 6-3 |
| • Maryland assault rifle ban is constitutional (2014) | Click for summary→ |
|---|---|
| United States District CourtJudge Catherine Blake ruled that the Maryland assault rifle ban is constitutional, as those guns fall outside of Second Amendment protection because they are dangerous and unusual arms. Further, Judge Blake noted that, at heart, the Second Amendment is about protecting one's self and one's home. Judge Blake reasoned that the ban will have little impact as these types of guns are rarely used for Second Amendment purposes and are not widely owned in any event. Articles: | |
| • Ex-stripper entitled to back pay as employee (2013) Judge(s):William M. Nickerson (Unique S. Butler v. PP&G, Inc., WMN-13-430) | Click for summary→ |
|---|---|
Senior JudgeWilliam M. Nickerson presided over a case filed by Unique S. Butler, who worked as an exotic dancer at Norma Jean's in Baltimore, Maryland, from 2007 to the summer of 2012. After being fired, Butler sued the club and its parent company, alleging violations of state and federal labor laws. Like many strip clubs, Norma Jean's classified its dancers as independent contractors, without paying hourly wages. Butler earned income solely from customer tips. Because Norma Jean's had strict control over the club's operation, and thus Butler's "economic opportunity," and because Butler's services performed were integral to the club's operation, Senior Judge Nickerson ruled that she should be classified as an employee deserving of unpaid wages under federal labor law.[8] | |
| • Segregation still present in Maryland's higher education (2013) Judge(s):Catherine Blake (Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education, et al v. Maryland Higher Education Commission, et al, 1:06-cv-02773-CCB) | Click for summary→ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
On October 7, 2013, JudgeCatherine Blake found that the State of Maryland failed to correct segregation issues in public schools of higher education, thus discouraging non-black students from applying to historically black institutions (HBIs).[9]
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Federal courthouse
There are three federal courthouses that serve the District of Maryland located in Baltimore, Greenbelt, and Salisbury.[11]
About United States District Courts
TheUnited States district courts are the generaltrial courts of theUnited States federal courts. There are 94 such courts. Bothcivil andcriminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of both law and equity.
There is aUnited States bankruptcy court and a number ofbankruptcy judges associated with each United States district court. Eachfederal judicial district has at least one courthouse, and most districts have more than one.
There is at least one judicial district for each state, and one each for Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. District courts in three insular areas—the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands—exercise the same jurisdiction as U.S. district courts. Despite their name, these courts are technically not District Courts of the United States. Judges on theseterritorial courts do not enjoy the protections ofArticle III of the Constitution, and serve terms of 10 years rather than for life.
There are677 U.S. District Court judgeships.[12][13]
The number of federal district judge positions is set by the U.S. Congress in Title 28 of the U.S. Code, Section 133, which authorizes a set number of judge positions, or judgeships, making changes and adjustments in these numbers from time to time.
In order to relieve the pressure of trying the hundreds of thousands of cases brought before the federal district courts each year, many trials are tried by juries, along with a presiding judge.[14]
Appointments by president
The chart below shows the number of district court judges confirmed by the U.S. Senate through November 1 of the first year of presidents' second term in office. At this point in the term, President Obama had the most district court appointments with 25.
Judges by district
- See also:Judicial vacancies in federal courts
The table below displays the number of judges in each district and indicates how many were appointed by presidents from each major political party. It also includes the number of vacancies in a district and how many pending nominations for that district are before theUnited States Senate. The table can be sorted by clicking the column headers above the line, and you can navigate through the pages by clicking the arrows at the top of the table. It is updated every Monday.
Judicial selection
The district courts are served byArticle III federal judges who are appointed for life during "good behavior." They are usually first recommended by senators (or members of the House, occasionally). The President of the United States makes the appointments, which must then be confirmed by the U.S. Senate in accordance withArticle III of the United States Constitution.[13]
| Step |  A Candidacy Proceeds |  A Candidacy Halts |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Recommendation made by Congress Member to the President | President Nominates toSenate Judiciary Committee | President Declines Nomination |
| 2. Senate Judiciary Committee interviews Candidate | Sends candidate to Senate for confirmation | Returns candidate to President, who may re-nominate to Committee |
| 3. Senate votes on candidate confirmation | Candidate becomes federal judge | Candidate does not receive judgeship |
Magistrate judges
The district courts are also served by magistrate judges. Congress created the judicial office offederal magistrate in 1968. In 1990, the position title was changed tomagistrate judge. The chief judge of each district appoints one or more magistrate judges, who discharge many of the ancillary duties of district judges so judges can handle more trials. There are both full-time and part-time magistrate judge positions, and these positions are assigned to the district courts according to caseload criteria (subject to funding by Congress). A full-time magistrate judge serves a term of eight years; a part-time magistrate judge's term of office is four years.[15]
See also
- United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
- Eastern District of North Carolina
- Middle District of North Carolina
- Western District of North Carolina
- District of South Carolina
- Eastern District of Virginia
- Western District of Virginia
- Northern District of West Virginia
- Southern District of West Virginia
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the District of Maryland Official Website
- United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Official Website
- Opinions of the District of Maryland
- Judges of the District of Maryland
- The Gazette, "Drug company plea, settlement worth $500 million; Maryland getting a share," May 17, 2013
Footnotes
- ↑Federal Judicial Center, "Magistrate Judgeships," accessed April 29, 2021
- ↑2.02.1United States Courts, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑3.03.13.2Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 136 - Chief judges; precedence of district judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑4.04.14.2Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 258 - Chief judges; precedence of judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑5.05.15.2Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 45 - Chief judges; precedence of judges," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, "28 U.S. Code § 171 - Appointment and number of judges; character of court; designation of chief judge," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑7.07.1Federal Judicial Center, "History of the District of Maryland," accessed May 17, 2021
- ↑Baltimore Sun, "Former stripper on The Block is owed back wages under labor laws, judge rules," November 8, 2013
- ↑9.09.19.2Blog of Legal Times, "Judge Finds Segregation Persists in Maryland Higher Education," October 8, 2013
- ↑Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑District of Maryland, "Court Locations," accessed May 17, 2021
- ↑US Courts, "Federal Judgeships," accessed May 10, 2021 (archived)
- ↑13.013.1U.S. Courts, "United States District Court Federal Judiciary Frequently Asked Questions," accessed May 10, 2021 (archived)
- ↑United States District Courts, "District Courts," accessed May 10, 2021
- ↑The 'Lectric Law Library, "Understanding the U.S. federal courts"
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges | Chief Judge: George L. Russell, III • Julie Rubin • Theodore Chuang • Stephanie A. Gallagher • Lydia Kay Griggsby • Paula Xinis • Deborah Boardman • Matthew Maddox • Brendan Hurson • Adam Abelson | ||
| Senior judges | Richard Bennett (Maryland) • Catherine Blake • William M. Nickerson • Deborah Chasanow • Ellen Hollander • James Bredar • | ||
| Magistrate judges | Charles Day • Susan Gauvey • Jillyn Schulze • Timothy J. Sullivan • C. Bruce Anderson • David Copperthite • Mark Coulson • Gina Simms • | ||
| Former Article III judges | Alexander Williams • William Paca • James Winchester • James Houston • Theodorick Bland • Elias Glenn • Upton Scott Heath • John Glenn (Maryland) • William Fell Giles • Thomas John Morris • Paul Niemeyer • John Carter Rose (Maryland) • Benson Legg • Walter Black • Andre Davis • Marvin Garbis • Alex Harvey • William Quarles • Roger Titus • Peter Messitte • Joseph Young (Maryland) • Morris Ames Soper • William Caldwell Coleman • William Calvin Chesnut • Joseph Clemens Howard • Harrison Winter • Charles Blair • John Hargrove • Shirley Jones • Frank Kaufman • James Rogers Miller Jr. (Federal judge) • Herbert Murray • Edward Northrop • Norman Ramsey • Roszel Thomsen • Robert Watkins • Frederic Smalkin • Paul Grimm • George Jarrod Hazel • | ||
| Former Chief judges | Benson Legg • Catherine Blake • Walter Black • Alex Harvey • Frederick Motz • William Caldwell Coleman • Frank Kaufman • Edward Northrop • Roszel Thomsen • Robert Watkins • Frederic Smalkin • James Bredar • | ||
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