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Audrey A. Creighton
Audrey A. Creighton was an associate judge on the Sixth Circuit Court for Montgomery County in Maryland. She was appointed to the court by Governor Martin O'Malley on February 24, 2014.[1] She was elected to a full term on the court in 2014.[2][3]
In the wake of an investigation by the Commission on Judicial Disabilities concerning her relationship with a convicted felon who was later charged with kidnapping and assaulting her, Creighton announced her retirement in mid-June. Her retirement officially went into effect on July 3, 2015 (see story below).[4][5]
Creighton previously served as a district court judge on the Sixth District Court from 2010 to 2014, an office to which she had also been appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley.[6][7]
Education
Creighton received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Maryland in 1982 and her J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1986.[8]
Career
- 2014-2015: Associate judge, Sixth Circuit Court, Baltimore City
- 2010-2014: Associate judge, Sixth District Court, Montgomery County
- 1990-2010: Assistant public defender, Montgomery County
- 1988-1990: Assistant attorney general, Criminal Appeals Division, Office of Attorney General
- 1987-1988: Associate, Rabineau & Peregoff
- 1986-1988: Law clerk to Chief Judge Richard P. Gilbert, Maryland Court of Special Appeals
- 1987: Admitted to the Maryland Bar [7]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2010: Leadership Award, Maryland Hispanic Bar Association
- 2008: Outstanding Committee Chair of the Year, Montgomery County Bar Association
- 2004-2005: Appreciation Award, Maryland Hispanic Bar Association [7]
Associations
- Member, Maryland State Bar Association
- Member, Montgomery County Bar Association
- Member, Maryland Hispanic Bar Association
- Member, Montgomery County Chapter, Maryland Women's Bar Association
- Member, Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney's Association
- Member, National Hispanic Bar Association
- Member, Hispanic Bar Association of District of Columbia
- Bar Leader, Montgomery County Bar Foundation
- Adjunct Professor, Washington College of Law, The American University[7]
Elections
2014
See also: Maryland judicial elections, 2014
Creighton ran for re-election to the 6th Circuit Court.
Primary: She was successful in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2014, receiving 22.0 percent of the vote. She competed against Judge Gary Eugene Bair, Judge Nelson W. Rupp, Jr., Judge Joan E. Ryon, and Daniel Patrick Connell. Creighton cross-filed as a Republican and finished last in that primary, receiving 18.2 percent of the vote. Primary candidates competed for 4 seats.
General: She faced Judge Gary Eugene Bair, Judge Nelson W. Rupp, Jr., Judge Joan E. Ryon, and Daniel Patrick Connell in the general election on November 4, 2014, and won with 20.0 percent of the vote. Candidates competed for four open seats.Creighton's re-election was supported by the Committee to Retain the Sitting Judges of Montgomery County, Maryland.[2][9][10]
Noteworthy events
Judge abducted by former friend, lover
In May 2014, Judge Creighton reported being abducted by Rickley Senning, 24, a convicted felon whom she described as her "intimate partner." Creighton said Senning was staying in her basement. She came home on May 19 to find him drunk and yelling at her to drive him to Gaithersburg. On the way, she said that he kept asking her to go faster and began pulling her hair and trying to push the accelerator. When Creighton pulled over and tried to leave, Senning attempted to drag her back to the car. She broke free and ran into a grocery store to call the police while Senning took off in the car and crashed into oncoming traffic. He was injured, along with two others, and taken to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda. However, at some point, he was able to escape from the hospital.[11][12]
Senning had convictions of assault, burglary, auto theft and a firearms violation on his record. In 2008, he got five years of jail-time for assaulting another inmate, as well as two officers. Creighton represented him in a separate case that same year while she was working as a public defender. Creighton applied for a protective order against Senning the day after the incident occurred. She wrote that Senning had been her "intimate partner" and had also lived with her during the summer of 2013. Originally, however, she told police that their relationship was platonic.[12][13]
The Washington Post reported on May 28 that Senning had been captured after being on the loose for about a week. The incident resulted in charges of false imprisonment, kidnapping, auto theft and two counts of second-degree assault.[14]
On January 30, 2015, Senning pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, second-degree assault and driving under the influence. His plea deal resulted in a 10-year sentence with all but three years suspended, and then five years of probation.[15]
In May 2015, the Commission on Judicial Disabilities decided to file charges against Creighton for her conduct related to her involvement with Senning. The commission investigates "sanctionable" conduct by judges. Nothing filed by the commission can be made public until the judge in question responds to the charges.[16] Creighton's 30 days to respond to the charges would have expired on June 17, but she announced her resignation a few days prior.[4]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Audrey Creighton Maryland judge. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
- Maryland State Archives, "District 6, Audrey A. Creighton Biography"
- Maryland State Archives, "Montgomery County, Maryland Judicial Branch"
- Maryland Courts.gov, "Circuit Courts overview"
Footnotes
- ↑ Maryland.gov: The Office of Governor Martin O'Malley, "Governor O’Malley Announces Judicial Appointments," February 24, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Maryland State Board of Elections, "2014 Primary Election State Candidates List," accessed March 21, 2014
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Maryland," accessed May 1, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Washington Post, "Montgomery judge who had romantic relationship with felon to retire," June 15, 2015
- ↑ NBC 4 Washington, "Rickley Senning Gets $500,000 Bond in Montgomery Co. Judge's Alleged Kidnapping," June 16, 2014
- ↑ Office of Governor Martin O' Malley, "Governor O'Malley Announces Appointment of Michele D. Hotten to Court of Special Appeals; Announces Appointments of Eight Trial Court Judges," July 23, 2010
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Maryland State Archives, "District 6, Audrey A. Creighton Biography," accessed June 26, 2014
- ↑ American University School of Law, "Faculty List," accessed September 5, 2014
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "Montgomery County Primary Ballot," accessed March 30, 2014
- ↑ Maryland State Board of Elections, "2014 Official Primary Election Results," accessed October 3, 2014
- ↑ WBAL, "Man, 24, indicted in kidnapping, assault of Md. judge," July 11, 2014
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 WTOP, "Md. judge who had relationship with felon resigning," June 15, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Montgomery police seek suspect for allegedly abducting a judge from home where they lived," May 23, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Convicted felon wanted on allegations of kidnapping a Montgomery judge is captured," May 28, 2014
- ↑ The Daily Record, "Man pleads guilty to kidnapping Montgomery County judge," January 30, 2015
- ↑ The Sentinel, "Judge faces disciplinary charges," May 21, 2015
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Maryland • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Maryland
State courts:
Maryland Supreme Court • Appellate Court of Maryland • Maryland District Courts • Maryland Circuit Courts • Maryland Orphans' Court
State resources:
Courts in Maryland • Maryland judicial elections • Judicial selection in Maryland
