A team of three incumbent Howard County Orphans’ Court judges has a combined 36 years of experience on the bench. But their challenger has one thing two of them lack – a law degree.
“I think I?ve got better experience than all of them put together,” said Columbia resident Jay Fred Cohen, a longtime Baltimore lawyer. “I feel that a lawyer should hold the position.”
But Chief Orphans? Court Judge Charles Coles said a law degree is no substitute for actual bench experience.
“Just because you?re a lawyer does not make you a good judge,” said Coles, who has been a judge for 16 years. “You see things on one side of the fence, much more than the other side. I?ve never worked with or against any attorney on any case. I?m totally neutral.”
Judge Joyce Pope, who has been on the court for 12 years, agreed with that assessment.
“I don?t think there?s any substitute for experience,” she said. “Probate law is a specialized area of the law. We have successfully dealt with cases that have literally been used as textbook examples of various probate law.”
Orphans? Court judges handle all matter of law dealing with wills, including family disputes and attorney-client conflicts. The candidates are competing for three seats in Tuesday?s election.
Judge Sherae McNeal, who has been on the court for eight years and has a law degree from the University of Maryland, said the current team of judges functions well as a team.
“Our court works well together, is diverse and citizens are getting the best of all worlds,” she said. “If it?s not broke, why are you trying to fix it?”
Even so, Cohen said he?d like a chance to serve the community as an Orphans? Court judge.
“I?m trying to give something back to the profession,” he said. “This is a job that doesn?t pay much, and I figured it was a good thing to do for the community.”
Part of the Baltimore Examiner’s 2006 Election Coverage
