Maryland Court of Appeals

Maryland Court of Appeals
Court name	Maryland Court of Appeals
Caption	Seal of the Maryland Court of Appeals
Established	0 1776
Country	United States
Location	Annapolis, Maryland
Authority	Constitution of Maryland
Terms	10 years
Chiefjudgename	Matthew J. Fader
Termstart	April 14, 2022
Website	http://www.mdcourts.gov/courtappeals

Maryland Court of Appeals is the court of last resort in the U.S. state of Maryland. The court, which traces its origins to the early colonial period, hears appeals of major questions of law from lower state courts and certain administrative agencies. Composed of seven judges, it primarily exercises discretionary review, shaping the jurisprudence for the entire state legal system from its seat in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building in the capital city of Annapolis.

History

The court's lineage begins with the Provincial Court established in 1637 under the colonial proprietary government of the Calvert family. Following American independence, the Maryland Constitution of 1776 formally created the Court of Appeals, with judges initially drawn from the General Assembly and various circuit courts. A significant reorganization occurred under the Maryland Constitution of 1851, which established it as a separate body with judges elected by the public from specific judicial circuits. The modern structure was largely solidified by the Maryland Constitution of 1867, which centralized the court in Annapolis and began the process of standardizing judicial selection, a system further refined by a 1976 constitutional amendment creating the current statewide commission-based appointment process.

Jurisdiction and powers

The court possesses mandatory appellate jurisdiction over cases involving the death penalty in Maryland, legislative redistricting, and certain certifications of questions of law from the Supreme Court of the United States and other federal courts. It exercises discretionary jurisdiction, via the writ of certiorari, over final judgments from the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the state's intermediate appellate court, as well as from circuit courts in matters not appealable to the lower appellate court. The court also reviews decisions of major administrative agencies like the Maryland Public Service Commission and has original jurisdiction to issue remedial writs, such as mandamus and prohibition. Its rulings are binding on all other Maryland state courts and state officers.

Composition and selection

The court consists of a Chief Judge and six associate judges. Judges are appointed by the Governor of Maryland from a list of candidates vetted by the State Judicial Nominating Commission. Each appointee must thereafter be confirmed by the Maryland Senate and then stand for a continuance in office in the first general election occurring at least one year after appointment. Judges serve ten-year terms and, upon successful retention elections, may continue to serve until the mandatory retirement age of 70 as stipulated in the Maryland Constitution. At least one judge must be a resident from each of the state's seven appellate judicial circuits.

Notable cases

In *McCulloch v. Maryland* (1819), a foundational case for federal power, the court's decision against the Second Bank of the United States was ultimately reversed by the Supreme Court of the United States. The court's ruling in *Dred Scott v. Sandford* (1857) was affirmed by the nation's high court, a decision contributing to the onset of the American Civil War. In the 20th century, the court was among the first to reject the "separate but equal" doctrine in education in *University of Maryland v. Murray* (1936). More recently, it issued landmark rulings on the definition of marriage in *Conaway v. Deane* (2007) and on police search and seizure protocols under the Maryland Declaration of Rights.

Courthouse

Since 1977, the court has sat in the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building, located at 361 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis. The building, named for former Chief Judge Robert C. Murphy, also houses the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. It is situated near other key state government buildings, including the Maryland State House and the Maryland Treasury Building. The courthouse contains the court's chambers, the main appellate courtroom, and the offices of the Clerk of the Court.

Chief Judges

Notable chief judges have included John Buchanan, the first under the 1851 constitution, and James McSherry, who served during the late 19th century. In the modern era, Robert C. Murphy presided over the court from 1972 to 1996, followed by Robert M. Bell, the court's first African-American chief judge. Mary Ellen Barbera became the first woman to lead the court in 2013. The current chief judge, Matthew J. Fader, was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan and sworn in on April 14, 2022.

Category:Courts in Maryland Category:State supreme courts of the United States Category:Government of Maryland Category:1776 establishments in Maryland