msa.maryland.gov

1 ^ - ff^-YM'Ml^*' *> f-''>-fi^' ^M in "ni11 ' mMpi 1995-96 '*f ijt- '" .; v'x \M& ? ^ E a- sr * -^ % 07<BtE ywicuvRy 1995-1996 Administrative Office of the Courts %gbert C. Murphy Courts of ftp-peal (BuitcCing Annapolis, MarytancC 21401 (410)974-2186 ManjCan(C%eCay Service (HT/'Voice) 1-800-735-2258 mkM .ktem las- -ga. ^F. * Vr.' ^L ii-- ftr ^ w " IA On the Cover 7/ie Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building The Courts of Appeal Building was dedicated to Chief Judge Robert C. Murphy on June 3, 1996.))

2 Report prepared by the Administrative Office of the Courts Circuit Court Management Services 11/ Letter of Transmittal v Introduction vii Judicial Revenues and Expenditures 1 The maryland Judicial System 7 Judicial Circuits and Districts 10 Members of the maryland Judiciary 11 The Court of Appeals 13 The Court of Special Appeals 23 The Circuit Courts 35 The District Court 71 The Orphans' Court 89 Judicial Administration 93 Administrative Office of the Courts 95 Judicial Personnel Services 95 Education and Training 97 Judicial Information Systems 99 Circuit Court Management Services 100 The Select Committee on Gender Equality 102 Sentencing Guidelines 102 Fiscal Management and Procurement 103 The District Court of maryland 104 Assignment of Judges 105 Court-Related Units 107 Board of Law Examiners 109 Rules Committee 110 maryland State Law Library 113 Attorney Grievance Commission 114 Clients' Security Trust Fund 116 Judicial Conferences 119

3 The maryland Judicial Conference 121 Conference of Circuit Judges 122 Administrative Judges Committee of the District Court 122 Appointment, Discipline, and Removal of Judges 125 Judicial Nominating Commissions 127 Removal and Discipline of Judges 131 The Commission on Judicial Disabilities 132 1996 Legislation Affecting the Courts 135 Listing of Tables and Definitions 139 listing of Tables 141 Definitions 143 Appendix A - ADA Coordinators 147 Letter of Transmittal ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS ROBERT C.

4 MURPHY COURTS OF APPEAL BUILDING ANNAPOLIS, maryland 21401 (410) 974-2141 STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR DEPUTY STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR GEORGE , JR. / $!r? j%^ FRANK BROCCOLINA October 22, 1996 This is the twentieth Annual Report of the maryland Judiciary which includes the forty-first Annual Re- port of the Administrative Office of the Courts. The report covers Fiscal Year 1996 beginning July 1, 1995 and ending June 30, 1996. This report provides data on the operation and functions of the maryland courts. It presents statistical information on both individual courts and an overview of the maryland judicial system as a whole.

5 It is hoped that this report will provide a ready source of information to better understand maryland 's court structure and operations. The past year has been notable for the many technology projects which have come into full produc- tion. The AOC installed a pilot circuit court case management system which will migrate to all jurisdictions throughout the State. The new system includes Differentiated Case Management (DCM) which was man- dated by Court Rule. In addition, a pilot land records optical imaging project was installed for similar state- wide application.

6 These and other technology projects exemplify the degree to which the Judiciary depends on automation to sustain its productivity and to offset workload increases. Fiscal Year 1996 was also notable in that it marked the final full year that our leader, Chief Judge Robert C. Murphy, guided us through the many daily challenges facing maryland courts. Judge Murphy's contributions over the past 29 years, as Chief Judge of both appellate courts, have been nothing short of remarkable. His commitment to modem and efficient court administration places him among the top ju- rists in our state's history.

7 He will be sorely missed due to his mandatory retirement which occurred on October 9, 1996. In a similar vein, The District Court saw the departure of Chief Judge Robert F. Sweeney, its first and only Chief Judge since the court's inception in 1971, due to his mandatory retirement on September 17, 1996. The Administrative Office of the Courts is indebted to clerks of the appellate courts, the circuit courts of the counties and Baltimore City, and to clerks of the District Court of maryland for their invaluable as- sistance in providing the statistics on which most of this report is based.

8 My thanks to them and to all those whose talents contributed to the preparation of this publication. George B. Riggin, Jr. State Court Administrator FAX NUMBER: (410) 974-2169 maryland Relay Service (TT/Volce) 1-800-735-2258 vn Introduction Robert C. Murphy CHIEF JUDGE COURT OF APPEALS OF maryland COURTS OF APPEAL BUILDING ANNAPOLIS, maryland 21401-1699 October 1, 1996 The 20th Annual Report of the maryland Judiciary covers Fiscal Year 1996 which began July 1, 1995 and concluded June 30, 1996. As I approach the mandatory retirement age after twenty-four years as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of maryland , I look back with the greatest pride upon the numerous enlightened and progressive achievements at all court levels made possible only by the dedication and hard work of the judges and their supporting non-judicial personnel.

9 George Riggin, the State Court Administrator and head of the Administrative Office of the Courts, has brought his considerable administrative and managerial expertise to bear in support of the common goal to more effectively serve the public in all Judicial Branch operations. He has been a mainstay in the field of modem day judicial administration in furtherance of his statutory responsibility to act on behalf of the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals who is the overall administrative head of the Judicial Branch of government.

10 Under the State Court Administrator, the staff of the Administrative Office of the Courts provides professional administrative support in the areas of human resources, records management, automation, and general fiscal and budgetary expertise. In like vein, a number of our courts of general jurisdiction the circuit courts, one in each county and Baltimore City have trial court administrators who have provided great support on behalf of the adjudicatory function of the judges and their clerical component. The administrative staff of the District Court of maryland continues to demonstrate its great worth to that unified, centrally administered trial court, acting under the peerless direction of its Chief Judge in the adjudication of its over 2,000,000 filings annually.