View source for Appellate Court of Maryland

{{Short description|Maryland's intermediate appellate court}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = March 2019}}
{{Infobox high court
|court_name = Appellate Court of Maryland
|image = Appellate_Court_of_Maryland_Seal.png
|imagesize = 125px
|caption = 
|motto =
|established = 1966
|dissolved = <!-- year -->
|location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]], United States
|coordinates = <!-- {{coord|45.000|-122.000|display=inline,title}} -->
|type =Appointment by the [[Governor of Maryland]]
|authority =Md. Courts and Judicial Proceedings Code Ann. § 1-401
|terms = <!-- length of court term for judges -->
|positions = 15
|budget = <!-- amount of annual budget -->
|website = <!-- official website -->
|chiefjudgetitle = Chief Judge
|chiefjudgename = [[E. Gregory Wells]]
|termstart = April 15, 2022
|termend2 = <!-- year term of current chief ends if applicable -->
|chiefjudgetitle2 = <!-- title of the second top judge if applicable-->
|chiefjudgename2 = <!-- current deputy chief's name -->
|termstart2 = <!-- year current deputy chief became chief -->
|termend3 = <!-- year term for current deputy chief as chief ends, if applicable -->
|termend4 = <!-- year term of current deputy chief ends if applicable -->
}}
The '''Appellate Court of Maryland''' is the intermediate [[appellate court]] for the [[U.S. state]] of [[Maryland]]. Formerly known as the '''Maryland Court of Special Appeals''', it was created in 1966 in response to the rapidly growing caseload in the [[Supreme Court of Maryland]].  Like the state's highest court, the tribunal meets in the [[Robert C. Murphy (judge)|Robert C. Murphy]] Courts of Appeal Building in the state capital, [[Annapolis]].

The Appellate Court of Maryland originally could hear only criminal cases. However, its jurisdiction has expanded so that it now considers any reviewable judgment, decree, order, or other action of the circuit and orphans’ courts, unless otherwise provided by law. Appeals to the Appellate Court are typically initiated by the filing of a Notice of Appeal in accordance with Maryland Rule 8-201.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://govt.westlaw.com/mdc/Document/N905CBA60A6F111EFB7BCDC7F1DFFAE41?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)|title=Maryland Rule 8-201: Method of Securing Review -- The Appellate Court|website=Westlaw Maryland Courts|access-date=April 27, 2025}}</ref> Judges sitting on the Appellate Court of Maryland generally hear and decide cases in panels of three. In some instances, however, all 15 judges may listen to a case, known as an [[en banc]] hearing.

A ballot proposal in the [[2022 Maryland elections|2022 general election]] asked Maryland voters whether to change the court's name from the Maryland Court of Special Appeals to the Appellate Court of Maryland.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lash |first1=Steve |title=Md. voters will vote on name change for appeals courts |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2021/04/07/md-voters-will-vote-on-name-change-for-appeals-courts/ |access-date=October 7, 2022 |work=[[Daily Record (Maryland)|The Daily Record]] |date=April 7, 2021}}</ref> The measure was approved by 74.2% of voters on November 8, 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Munro |first1=Dana|last2=Opilo |first2=Emily|date=November 9, 2022 |title=Maryland to require legislators to live in their districts; state will rename its high court|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/elections/bs-md-pol-maryland-ballot-questions-vote-20221109-55lh7busmngc7e6waiy7jeixra-story.html|access-date=November 9, 2022 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://ublawforum.com/2022/11/13/election-day-was-a-namechanger-voters-successfully-rename-marylands-appellate-courts | title=Election Day was a "Namechanger": Voters Successfully Rename Maryland's Appellate Courts | date=November 13, 2022 }}</ref> It changed to this name on December 14, 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lash |first1=Steve |title=Maryland's appellate courts will get new names Dec. 14 |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2022/11/29/marylands-appellate-courts-will-get-new-names-dec-14/ |access-date=December 14, 2022 |work=[[The Daily Record (Maryland)|The Daily Record]] |date=November 29, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.courts.state.md.us/media/news/2022/pr20221214|title=Voter-approved constitutional change renames high courts to Supreme and Appellate Court of Maryland &#124; Maryland Courts|website=www.courts.state.md.us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mdcourts.gov/opinions/opinions|title=Maryland Appellate Court Opinions &#124; Maryland Courts|website=www.mdcourts.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://judicature.duke.edu/articles/renaming-marylands-appellate-courts/|title=Renaming Maryland's Appellate Courts|date=June 21, 2023|website=judicature.duke.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fandpnet.com/insight/maryland-voters-rename-two-appellate-courts/|title=Maryland Voters Approved a Constitutional Amendment Renaming Two Appellate Courts|first=Maryland Voters Approved a Constitutional Amendment Renaming Two Appellate|last=Courts|website=Franklin & Prokopik, P.C.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/the-court-of-appeals-of-maryland-is-now-the-supreme-court-of-maryland/|title=The Court of Appeals of Maryland is now the Supreme Court of Maryland - CBS Baltimore|first=CBS Baltimore|last=Staff|date=December 14, 2022|website=www.cbsnews.com}}</ref>

==Judges==
===Appointment and qualifications===
[[File:Seal of the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Seal as the ''Court of Special Appeals''.]]
The fifteen judges of the Appellate Court of Maryland are appointed by the [[Governor of Maryland]] with [[Maryland Senate|Senate]] consent. They serve ten-year terms.

The Judges of the court are required to be citizens of and qualified voters in Maryland.  Prior to their appointment, they must have resided in Maryland for at least five years, and for at least six months in the appellate judicial circuit from which they are appointed. They must be at least thirty years of age at the time of appointment, and must have been admitted to practice law in Maryland. Appointees should be "most distinguished for integrity, wisdom and sound legal knowledge."

After initial appointment by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate, members of the court, at the first general election occurring at least one year after their appointment, run for continuance in office on their records without opposition. If the voters reject the retention in office of a judge, or the vote is tied, the office becomes vacant. Otherwise, the incumbent judge is retained in office for a ten-year term. This requirement of voter approval is similar to provisions of the [[Missouri Plan]], a non-partisan method for selecting judges which is used by 11 states.

There are eight at large judges and one judge from each of the state's seven Judicial Circuits; the latter are required to be a resident of his or her respective circuit.  The circuits are currently as follows:

{| class=wikitable
!colspan=2|
<span style="font-size:125%;">'''Maryland Judicial Circuits'''</span>
|-
!Circuit
!Counties
|-
| align="center" | 1
|[[Caroline County, Maryland|Caroline]], [[Cecil County, Maryland|Cecil]], [[Dorchester County, Maryland|Dorchester]], [[Kent County, Maryland|Kent]], [[Queen Anne's County, Maryland|Queen Anne's]], [[Somerset County, Maryland|Somerset]], [[Talbot County, Maryland|Talbot]], [[Wicomico County, Maryland|Wicomico]], and [[Worcester County, Maryland|Worcester]] counties
|-
| align="center" | 2
|[[Baltimore County, Maryland|Baltimore County]] and [[Harford County, Maryland|Harford County]]
|-
| align="center" | 3
|[[Allegany County, Maryland|Allegany]], [[Carroll County, Maryland|Carroll]], [[Frederick County, Maryland|Frederick]], [[Garrett County, Maryland|Garrett]], [[Howard County, Maryland|Howard]], and [[Washington County, Maryland|Washington]] counties
|-
| align="center" | 4
|[[Prince George's County, Maryland|Prince George's County]]
|-
| align="center" | 5
|[[Anne Arundel County, Maryland|Anne Arundel]], [[Calvert County, Maryland|Calvert]], [[Charles County, Maryland|Charles]], and [[St. Mary's County, Maryland|St. Mary's]] counties
|-
| align="center" | 6
|[[Baltimore]]
|-
| align="center" | 7
|[[Montgomery County, Maryland|Montgomery County]]
|-
|}

===Current judges===

{| class="wikitable sortable" sortable
!Circuit !! Judge<ref>{{cite web |title=Judges of the Appellate Court of Maryland |url=https://www.mdcourts.gov/cosappeals/judges |website=Maryland Courts}}</ref> !! Born !! Joined !! Term ends !! Mandatory retirement !! Appointed by !! Law school
|-
|At-large
|{{sortname|E. Gregory|Wells}}, ''Chief Judge''
|{{birth date and age|1961|6|28}}
|{{dts|April 18, 2019}}
| align="center" | 2030
| align="center" | 2031
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|[[Larry Hogan]] (R)
|[[University of Virginia School of Law|Virginia]]
|-
|3rd
|{{sortname|Kathryn Grill|Graeff|nolink=1}}
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|{{dts|September 2, 2008}}
| align="center" | 2030
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Martin O'Malley]] (D)
|[[University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law|Maryland]]
|-
|At-large
|{{sortname|Stuart R.|Berger|nolink=1}}
|{{birth year and age|1959}}
|{{dts|January 25, 2012}}
| align="center" | 2032
| align="center" | 2029
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Martin O'Malley]] (D)
|[[University of Baltimore School of Law|Baltimore]]
|-
|2nd
|{{sortname|Douglas R.M.|Nazarian|nolink=1}}
|{{birth date and age|1966|10|30}}
|{{dts|January 8, 2013}}
| align="center" | 2024
| align="center" | 2036
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Martin O'Malley]] (D)
|[[Duke University School of Law|Duke]]
|-
|At-large
|{{sortname|Kevin F.|Arthur|nolink=1}}
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|{{dts|March 18, 2014}}
| align="center" | 2024
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Martin O'Malley]] (D)
|Maryland
|-
|At-large
|{{sortname|Andrea M.|Leahy|nolink=1}}
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|{{dts|March 18, 2014}}
| align="center" | 2024
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Martin O'Malley]] (D)
|[[American University Washington College of Law|WCL]]
|-
|6th
|{{sortname|Michael W.|Reed|nolink=1}}
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|{{dts|March 18, 2014}}
| align="center" | 2024
| align="center" | {{sort|0|–}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Martin O'Malley]] (D)
|[[George Washington University Law School|GW Law]]
|-
|At-large
|{{sortname|Daniel A.|Friedman|nolink=1}}
|{{birth date and age|1965|8|27}}
|{{dts|September 23, 2014}}
| align="center" | 2026
| align="center" | 2035
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Martin O'Malley]] (D)
|Maryland
|-
|At-large
|{{sortname|Donald E.|Beachley|nolink=1}}
|{{birth year and age|1956}}
|{{dts|June 20, 2016}}
| align="center" | 2028
| align="center" | 2026
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|[[Larry Hogan]] (R)
|Maryland
|-
|4th
|{{sortname|Melanie M.|Shaw|nolink=1}}
|{{birth year and age|1957}}
|{{dts|June 20, 2016}}
| align="center" | 2028
| align="center" | 2027
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|[[Larry Hogan]] (R)
|Maryland
|-
|At-large
|{{sortname|Terrence M. R.|Zic|nolink=1}}
|{{birth date and age|1961|4|24}}
|{{dts|November 10, 2020}}
| align="center" | 2032
| align="center" | 2031
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|[[Larry Hogan]] (R)
|[[Georgetown University Law Center|Georgetown]]
|-
|5th
|{{sortname|Laura S.|Ripken|nolink=1}}
|{{birth year and age|1964}}
|{{dts|January 17, 2021}}
| align="center" | 2032
| align="center" | 2034
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|[[Larry Hogan]] (R)
|[[Columbus School of Law|Catholic]]
|-
|7th
|{{sortname|Rosalyn|Tang|nolink=1}}
|{{birth year and age|1980}}
|{{dts|March 3, 2022}}
| align="center" | 2032
| align="center" | 2050
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|[[Larry Hogan]] (R)
|[[Dedman School of Law|Dedman]]
|-
|At-large
|{{sortname|Anne K.|Albright|nolink=1}}
|{{birth year and age|1961}}
|{{dts|April 20, 2022}}
| align="center" | 2024
| align="center" | 2031
|{{Party shading/Republican}}|[[Larry Hogan]] (R)
|Georgetown
|-
|1st
|{{sortname|Stephen H.|Kehoe|nolink=1}}
|{{birth year and age|1958}}
|{{dts|April 11, 2024}}
| align="center" | 2034
| align="center" | 2028
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[Wes Moore]] (D)
|[[Case Western Reserve University School of Law|Case Western Reserve]]
|}

==See also==
*[[Courts of Maryland]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://mdcourts.gov/cosappeals Homepage for the Appellate Court of Maryland]
*[http://mdcourts.gov/index.html Maryland Judiciary homepage]

{{MD Gov branches}}
{{State Intermediate Appellate Courts}}

[[Category:Maryland state courts]]
[[Category:State appellate courts of the United States]]
[[Category:1966 establishments in Maryland]]
[[Category:Courts and tribunals established in 1966]]