The top Baltimore County Orphans Court judge said more qualified candidates are running for bench seats this year than ever before, thanks to a new state law aimed at easing the court?s increasingly overwhelming caseload.
Sixteen candidates, including at least seven attorneys, are vying for the three spots ? the county?s only bench that does not require its judges to have a law degree ? because of a new policy that allows attorney judges to keep their private practices while in office.
The modest $39,000 salary kept many private attorneys from running in previous years, Chief Orphans Court Judge Theresa Lawler said.
“I?m not saying you can?t do a good job if you aren?t an attorney, but it is, frankly, very beneficial,” Lawler said. “We?re seeing the fruits of this now.”
Legislators passed the law last year at the urgings of Lawler and the court?s two associate judges, who she said are wallowing in a caseload 75 percent larger compared to a decade ago. The court processes estates and handles inheritance disputes.
Lawler said, however, legally experienced attorneys are just one solution to the problem. She?s advocating a salary increase ? judges in the city?s orphans court earn $65,000 to $72,000 annually ? and funding for a full-time law clerk. She also suggested terms be extended from four years to at least six, so judges can focus more on work and less on re-election.
She pointed out discrepancies between the county?s orphans court judges and circuit court judges, who serve 15-year terms and don?t have to designate a party affiliation when they file for election. Choosing between Republican and Democratic violates a judge?s partiality, Lawler said.
An all-attorney bench could alleviate the court?s backlog, said three Democratic lawyers running a slate candidacy. They point to the court?s newest associate judge, Robert Banks, whom Gov. Robert Ehrlich appointed in June to fill an early vacancy, as an example.
Banks is a senior director at the Canton Group, a Web design firm, with no legal background.
“As a practitioner, I found how frustrating the court is. It?s a mess right now,” said Colleen Cavanaugh. “If you have three attorneys, you can get three times the work done.”
THE CANDIDATES
Ray Allen (R)
Robert Joseph Banks (R) *
John R. Danza (R)
Gloria B. Murphy (R)
Carol Andreone (D)
Gordon A. Boone (D)
Ronald Burdynski (D)
Colleen Cavanaugh (D)
John Disney (D)
William Evans (D)
Joe Ferraracci (D)
Myles Friedman (D)
Deanna Hiltz (D)
Leronia Josey (D)
Theresa Lawler (D) *
Debra Sober (D)
* Incumbent
– Source: Board of Elections
