District Court Judge Catherine Curran O?Malley, the wife of Gov.-elect Martin O?Malley and mother of their four children, told The Examiner “we?re still figuring out what to do” about the prospective move to the four-story governor?s mansion across from the State-house and its ramifications for their children.
But one thing is for sure. The incoming first lady is going to keep her day job, just as her two predecessors have done.
“I?ve always intended to stay there,” O?Malley said. “My intention was always to work. I love my job.”
Appointed in 2001 to a 10-year term as one of 27 district court judges in the city after serving as an assistant prosecutor in Baltimore County, O?Malley sits at the Eastside District Court Building on North Avenue at Harford Road. Depending on the monthly rotation of assignments, she handles the full range of traffic, civil and criminal cases, including the most serious misdemeanors involving assaults and drug deals, as she did most of the summer.
The state constitution requires judges to live in the geographic area they serve, and O?Malley said she expects they would maintain their residence in the city. O?Malley?s term expires in 2011, but she could be reappointed by whoever is governor after the next election.
One of the perks of the governor?s job, besides a $150,000 salary, is the temporary digs at Government House, which include two floors of living space in the private residence as well as three chefs, a huge commercial-size kitchen, support staff and a contingent of State Police bodyguards. Unlike Gov. Robert Ehrlich and his wife Kendel, who sold their Timonium townhouse four years ago, the previous two governors, Parris Glendening and William Donald Schaefer, both maintained their owns homes and even continued to live there some of the time.
The O?Malleys have two teenage daughters, Tara and Grace, who attend Notre Dame Prep in Towson, which their mother attended and where she serves on the board. There is regular bus service from Annapolis to the Towson area private schools, O?Malley said.
“They?ve very excited and happy for their father,” she said. The daughters were active in the political campaign. Judicial ethics rules prohibited O?Malley from politicking, but she does accompany him to official and social events.
In talking to groups of women or about women officeholders on the campaign trail, Mayor O?Malley would say, “I haven?t been with this many strong women since I left the house this morning.”
