O?Malley appoints 8 to Circuit Court

Gov. Martin O?Malley appointed eight new judges to the Circuit Court in five jurisdictions just in time for Monday?s election filing deadline. They included five District Court judges he promoted, including two from Prince George?s County, and one each from Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City and Harford County. He also named Howard County State?s Attorney Timothy McCrone to the bench.

All but one of the new Circuit judges are Democrats, but all must run to keep their seat in both party primaries Feb. 12 and then in the Nov. 4, 2008.