United States District Court for the District of Maryland

District of Maryland
Fourth Circuit
Judgeships
Posts: 10
Judges: 10
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: George L. Russell, III
Active judges: Adam Abelson, Deborah Boardman, Theodore Chuang, Stephanie A. Gallagher, Lydia Kay Griggsby, Brendan Hurson, Matthew Maddox, Julie Rubin, George L. Russell III, Paula Xinis Senior judges: Richard Bennett, Catherine Blake, James Bredar, Deborah Chasanow, Ellen Hollander, William Nickerson

The United States District Court for the District of Maryland is one of 94 United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit based in downtown Richmond, Virginia, at the Lewis F. Powell Federal Courthouse.

Vacancies

See also: Current federal judicial vacancies

There are no current vacancies on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, out of the court's 10 judicial positions.

Pending nominations

There are no pending nominees for this court.

Active judges

Article III judges

Judge	Appointed By	Assumed Office	Bachelors	Law
George L. Russell III	Barack Obama (D)	May 22, 2012 -	Morehouse College, 1988	University of Maryland Law, 1991
Theodore Chuang	Barack Obama (D)	May 2, 2014 -	Harvard, 1991	Harvard Law School, 1994
Paula Xinis	Barack Obama (D)	May 18, 2016 -	University of Virginia, 1991	Yale Law School, 1997
Stephanie A. Gallagher	Donald Trump (R)	September 13, 2019 -	Georgetown University, 1994	Harvard Law School, 1997
Deborah Boardman	Joe Biden (D)	June 25, 2021 -	Villanova University, 1996	University of Virginia School of Law, 2000
Lydia Kay Griggsby	Joe Biden (D)	July 20, 2021 -	University of Pennsylvania, 1990	Georgetown University Law Center, 1993
Julie Rubin	Joe Biden (D)	March 30, 2022 -	Mount Holyoke College, 1995	University of Maryland, 1998
Brendan Hurson	Joe Biden (D)	October 6, 2023 -	Providence College, 2000	University of Maryland School of Law, 2005
Matthew Maddox	Joe Biden (D)	November 3, 2023 -	Morgan State University, 1999	Yale Law School, 2011
Adam Abelson	Joe Biden (D)	September 12, 2024 -	Princeton University	New York University School of Law

Active Article III judges by appointing political party

The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.

• Democrat appointed: 9
• Republican appointed: 1

Senior judges

Judge	Appointed By	Assumed Office	Bachelors	Law
William Nickerson	George H.W. Bush (R)	June 11, 2002 -	University of Virginia, 1955	University of Maryland Law, 1962
Deborah Chasanow	Bill Clinton (D)	October 3, 2014 -	Rutgers University, 1970	Stanford University Law, 1974
Catherine Blake	Bill Clinton (D)	April 2, 2021 -	Harvard-Radcliffe College, 1972	Harvard Law, 1975
Richard Bennett	George W. Bush (R)	June 23, 2021 -	University of Pennsylvania, 1969	University of Maryland Law, 1973
Ellen Hollander	Barack Obama (D)	January 4, 2022 -	Goucher College, 1971	Georgetown University Law Center, 1974
James Bredar	Barack Obama (D)	April 30, 2024 -	Harvard University, 1979	Georgetown University, 1982

Senior judges by appointing political party

The list below displays the number of senior judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.

• Democrat appointed: 4
• Republican appointed: 2

Magistrate judges

Federal magistrate judges are federal judges who serve in United States district courts, but they are not appointed by the president and they do not serve life terms. Magistrate judges are assigned duties by the district judges in the district in which they serve. They may preside over most phases of federal proceedings, except for criminal felony trials. The specific duties of a magistrate judge vary from district to district, but the responsibilities always include handling matters that would otherwise be on the dockets of the district judges. Full-time magistrate judges serve for renewable terms of eight years. Some federal district courts have part-time magistrate judges, who serve for renewable terms of four years.

Judge	Appointed By	Assumed Office	Bachelors	Law
Jillyn Schulze	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	October 24, 1994 -	Western Maryland College, 1973	University of Maryland Law, 1980
Susan Gauvey	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	February 26, 1996 -	Rosary College, 1970	Northwestern University Law, 1973
Charles Day	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	February 18, 1997 -	University of Maryland, 1978	University of Maryland Law, 1984
Thomas M. DiGirolamo	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	November 6, 1998 -	Rutgers College, 1978	Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson Law, 1981
C. Bruce Anderson	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	March 23, 2012 -	Western Maryland College, 1975	University of Baltimore Law, 1992
Timothy J. Sullivan	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	December 20, 2012 -	Marquette University, 1984	Georgetown University Law Center, 1987
J. Mark Coulson	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	August 1, 2014 -	LaSalle University, 1995	Duke University School of Law, 1991
David Copperthite	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	March 28, 2016 -	University of Baltimore	University of Baltimore
Gina Simms	United States District Court for the District of Maryland	November 20, 2017 -	Swarthmore College, 1987	The George Washington University Law School, 1992

Former chief judges

In order to qualify for the office of chief judge in an Article III circuit or district court, or on the United States Court of International Trade, a judge must be in active service and hold seniority over the court's commissioned judges who are 64 years of age or under, have served one year or more, and have not previously served as chief judge.

In the event that no judge on the court meets those qualifications, the youngest judge in regular active service aged 65 years or more and who has served as a judge for one year or more shall become chief judge. If no judge meets those qualifications, the judge holding seniority in active service who has not served as chief before shall become the chief judge.

The chief judge serves for a term of seven years until another judge becomes eligible to serve in the position. No judge is permitted to serve as chief judge after reaching the age of 70 years unless no other judge is qualified to serve.

Unlike the chief justice of the United States, a chief judge returns to active service after the expiration of their term and does not create a vacancy on the court by the fact of their promotion.

On the United States Court of Federal Claims, the chief judge is selected by the president of the United States. The judge must be less than 70 years of age. A chief may serve until they reach age 70 or until another judge is designated by the president as the new chief judge. If the president selects a new chief judge, the former chief judge may continue active service on the court for the remainder of their appointed term.

James Bredar - (2017-2024) Catherine Blake - (2014 - 2017) Deborah Chasanow - (2010 - 2014) Benson Legg - (2003 - 2010) Frederic Smalkin - (2001 - 2003) Frederick Motz - (1991 - 2001) Walter Black - (1991 - 1994) Alex Harvey - (1986 - 1991)

Frank Kaufman - (1981 - 1986) Edward Northrop - (1970 - 1981) Robert Watkins - (1970) Roszel Thomsen - (1955 - 1970) William Caldwell Coleman - (1948 - 1955)

Former judges

For more information about the judges of the District of Rhode Island, see former federal judges of the District of Maryland.

Jurisdiction

The Counties of Maryland (click for larger map)

The District of Maryland has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

There are two court divisions, each covering the following counties:

The Baltimore (Northern) Division, covering Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, and Worcester counties

The Greenbelt (Southern) Division, covering Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's, and St. Mary's counties

Caseloads

This section contains court management statistics dating back to 2010. It was last updated in September 2024. Click [show] below for more information on caseload terms and definitions.

Caseload statistics explanation
Term	Explanation
Cases filed and terminated	The number of civil and criminal lawsuits formally initiated or decided by the court in a calendar year. The chart below reflects the table columns Cases filed and Cases terminated.
Average time from filing to disposition	The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to date of disposition (acquittal, sentencing, dismissal, etc.). The chart below reflects the table columns Median time (Criminal) and Median time (Civil).
Starting case load	The number of cases pending from the previous calendar year.
Cases filed	The number of civil and criminal lawsuits formally initiated in a calendar year.
Cases terminated	The total number of civil and criminal lawsuits decided by the court in a calendar year.
Remaining cases	The number of civil and criminal cases pending at the end of a given year.
Median time (Criminal)	The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to the date of disposition. In criminal cases, the date of disposition occurs on the day of sentencing or acquittal/dismissal.
Median time (Civil)	The average amount of time, in months, from a case's date of filing to the date of disposition.
Three-year civil cases	The number and percent of civil cases that were filed more than three years before the end of the given calendar year.
Vacant posts	The number of months during the year an authorized judgeship was vacant.
Trial/Post	The number of trials completed divided by the number of authorized judgeships on the court. Trials include evidentiary trials, hearings on temporary restraining orders, and preliminary injunctions.
Source: United States Courts, "Explanation of the Judicial Caseload Profiles for United States District Courts," accessed September 25, 2018

United States District Court for the District of Maryland caseload stats, 2010-2023
Year	Cases Filed	Cases Terminated	Cases Pending	Number of Judgeships	Vacant Judgeship Months	Average Total Filings per Judgeship	Trials Completed per Judgeship	Median time from filing to disposition, criminal	Median time from filing to disposition, civil	Three-year civil cases (#)	Three-year civil cases (%)
2010	4,911	4,522	4,759	10	24	491	23	11	7	425	13
2011	4,607	4,627	4,211	10	12	461	23	12	8	195	6
2012	4,785	5,149	4,495	10	18	479	22	13	7	201	6
2013	5,177	5,181	4,501	10	8	518	20	13	8	139	4
2014	5,027	4,988	4,519	10	10	503	15	11	7	153	5
2015	5,032	5,035	4,445	10	12	503	19	12	7	150	5
2016	5,352	4,829	4,865	10	23	535	18	12	7	158	4
2017	5,034	4,866	5,031	10	24	503	16	11	8	183	5
2018	5,091	4,840	5,290	10	7	509	20	13	8	180	4
2019	4,790	4,492	5,596	10	8	479	16	13	8	435	10
2020	4,503	3,857	6,254	10	0	450	7	14	9	612	12
2021	4,057	4,405	5,922	10	0	406	10	19	10	891	19
2022	4,173	4,723	5,385	10	1	417	12	19	9	885	21
2023	4,347	4,830	4,919	10	0	435	10	22	9	532	14
Average	4,778	4,739	5,014	10	11	478	17	14	8	367	9

History

Court history

The District of Maryland was established by Congress on September 24, 1789, with one post to cover the entire state. Over time, nine additional judicial posts were added to the court for a total of ten current posts.

Judicial posts

The following table highlights the development of judicial posts for the District of Maryland:

Year	Statute	Total Seats
September 24, 1789	1 Stat. 73	1
February 24, 1910	36 Stat. 201	2 (1 Temporary)
1912	Post Expired	1
March 3, 1927	44 Stat. 1346	2
May 19, 1961	75 Stat 80	4
March 18, 1966	80 Stat. 75	5
June 2, 1970	84 Stat. 294	7
October 20, 1978	92 Stat. 1629	9
July 10, 1984	98 Stat. 333	10

Noteworthy cases

For a searchable list of opinions, please see Opinions of the District of Maryland.

• Maryland assault rifle ban is constitutional (2014)

Click for summary→

United States District Court Judge Catherine Blake ruled that the Maryland assault rifle ban is constitutional, as those guns fall outside of Second Amendment protection because they are dangerous and unusual arms. Further, Judge Blake noted that, at heart, the Second Amendment is about protecting one's self and one's home. Judge Blake reasoned that the ban will have little impact as these types of guns are rarely used for Second Amendment purposes and are not widely owned in any event. Articles: Guns.com, "Federal judge upholds Maryland’s ban on ARs; Calls them ‘dangerous and unusual’," August 13, 2014 Baltimore Sun, "Federal judge upholds assault rifle ban," August 12, 2014

• Ex-stripper entitled to back pay as employee (2013)      Judge(s):William M. Nickerson (Unique S. Butler v. PP&G, Inc., WMN-13-430)	Click for summary→
Senior Judge William M. Nickerson presided over a case filed by Unique S. Butler, who worked as an exotic dancer at Norma Jean's in Baltimore, Maryland, from 2007 to the summer of 2012. After being fired, Butler sued the club and its parent company, alleging violations of state and federal labor laws. Like many strip clubs, Norma Jean's classified its dancers as independent contractors, without paying hourly wages. Butler earned income solely from customer tips. Because Norma Jean's had strict control over the club's operation, and thus Butler's "economic opportunity," and because Butler's services performed were integral to the club's operation, Senior Judge Nickerson ruled that she should be classified as an employee deserving of unpaid wages under federal labor law.

• Segregation still present in Maryland's higher education (2013)      Judge(s):Catherine Blake (Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education, et al v. Maryland Higher Education Commission, et al, 1:06-cv-02773-CCB)	Click for summary→
On October 7, 2013, Judge Catherine Blake found that the State of Maryland failed to correct segregation issues in public schools of higher education, thus discouraging non-black students from applying to historically black institutions (HBIs). In the underlying case, the Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education (Coalition), a group composed of students and alumni from Maryland's HBIs, filed suit against the state in 2006. The Coalition's arguments centered around whether state funding and policies put HBIs at a disadvantage in terms of program duplication. Judge Blake found that HBIs "[would] be more empowered to attract a diverse student body" if academic programming were unique, and further found that state officials provided no justification, educational or otherwise, for duplicated college programming: “ The State offered no evidence that it has made any serious effort to address continuing historic duplication. Second, and even more troublingly, the State has failed to prevent additional unnecessary duplication, to the detriment of the HBIs. ” Judge Blake suggested that the parties attend mediation to come to an agreement on the duplication issue, and delayed entering a final judgment.

Federal courthouse

There are three federal courthouses that serve the District of Maryland located in Baltimore, Greenbelt, and Salisbury.

About United States District Courts

The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. There are 94 such courts. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of both law and equity.

There is a United States bankruptcy court and a number of bankruptcy judges associated with each United States district court. Each federal judicial district has at least one courthouse, and most districts have more than one.

There is at least one judicial district for each state, and one each for Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. District courts in three insular areas—the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands—exercise the same jurisdiction as U.S. district courts. Despite their name, these courts are technically not District Courts of the United States. Judges on these territorial courts do not enjoy the protections of Article III of the Constitution, and serve terms of 10 years rather than for life.

There are 677 U.S. District Court judgeships.

The number of federal district judge positions is set by the U.S. Congress in Title 28 of the U.S. Code, Section 133, which authorizes a set number of judge positions, or judgeships, making changes and adjustments in these numbers from time to time.

In order to relieve the pressure of trying the hundreds of thousands of cases brought before the federal district courts each year, many trials are tried by juries, along with a presiding judge.

Appointments by president

The chart below shows the number of district court judges confirmed by the U.S. Senate through March 1 of the first year of each president's term in office. At this point in the term, no president had made Article III judicial appointments.