BENCH/BAR COMMITTEE REPORT By Damien Banks
On July 8, 2021, the Bench Bar committee met in person in the Judicial Conference Room in the Circuit Court. Deborah Thomas called the meeting to order as the new chairperson and all of the members introduced themselves.
set into 2022, so they were pulled back and doublebooked to avoid later trial dates. Magistrates are doing standby settlement conferences with success. Assignment sends the standby list to Magistrates the day before and they try to settle the cases.
Harry Chase moved to approve the minutes from the They are no longer getting pre-assigned dockets last meeting which the members approved. weeks in advance. Instead, the docket comes the day Administrative Judge Ruth A. Jakubowski reported before. For last-minute remote hearings, exhibits can that the Circuit Court is in a much better place than in be scanned into MDEC or emailed to the judge. March 2020. Jury trials are going well with Jury selection continuing at the American Legion. The court’s lease runs until October 1, 2021, and the plan is to stay through that time. The hope is to return to the courthouse following the lease expiration. They will be monitoring the COVID numbers to determine whether the return. Masks and social distancing are required at American Legion based on Judge Barbera’s order.
Staggered dockets will be kept. They will not be going back to a 9 a.m. cattle call. Dockets at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for civil with no more 3:00 p.m. dockets. In Juvenile, the dockets will be 9:00, 11:00, 1:30, and 3:00 and will continue to be remote. Tim Sheridan, Circuit Court administrator, gave no separate report as his report was joint with Judge Jakubowski. Wendy Epstein reported on behalf of the Magistrates that uncontested divorce cases will remain remote. Standby cases are being sent to Magistrates the night before for potential settlement. The Orphan’s Court and Register of Wills had no report.
Trials have also been going well. 17 Criminal juries have been selected. 7 of the cases were resolved, 8 went to verdict, and 2 trials are ongoing. On the civil side, 8 trials went to verdict, 19 settled prior to jury selection, and attorneys postponed 6. 7 courtrooms are Julie Ensor, Clerk of the Court, announced that longcurrently in use (4 criminal and 3 civil). term Chief Deputy Clerk Carol Miller recently retired Settlement court is shift back to in-person settlement as of July 1, 2021. The new Chief Deputy Clerk Craig conferences for civil and family on October 18 with Moskovitz began on June 30, 2021. Craig previously an option to request remote. Judge Jakubowski is worked in the Clerk’s Office handling IT. The Clerk’s working on the policy for remote now. Mediation for Office will also keep the drop box in the lobby for family law will be remote by default. The statistics are now. Email communication is a great way to high for resolution by remote hearing. In-person communicate with their office. Telework remains in conferences will be held on request. The Visitation effect for some employees one day a week since many Center is open, and they are slowly letting more processes are fully electronic. people in. If you wish to take advantage of the There was a question regarding why attorneys cannot services, please contact the Office of Family Services. get marital settlement agreements when they used to Judge C. Carey Deely, Jr. is going to be retiring at the end of September. The circuit court bench will be down 2 judges since Judge Kathleen G. Cox’s position is also open. They are trying to bring back senior judges to operate at full capacity.
be able to. Ms. Ensor answered that there is a public kiosk where you can find these agreements. You can email the records department and also obtain it for $.50 per page. Email is ccbaltcoclerkrecords@mdcourts.gov and its usually Family law cases are going to trial and are not all same day service. going to standby. Priority is being given to criminal Judge Dorothy J. Wilson reported that the District cases. Cases are on standby because Family was being Court is doing well. Two brand new judges will be THE ADVOCATE
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May 2021
