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Maryland Supreme Court elections, 2016
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| 2016 State Judicial Elections |
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| Part 1: Overview |
| Part 2: Supreme Courts |
| Part 3: Partisanship |
| Part 4: Changes in 2016 |
Two seats on the Maryland Court of Appeals were up for retention elections on November 8, 2016. Judge Clayton Greene and Judge Michele D. Hotten, who was appointed to succeed Judge Glenn T. Harrell, Jr., faced retention elections.[1][2] If retained, a supreme court judge serves for 10 years prior to the next retention election.
Judges who faced retention
■ Clayton Greene 
■ Michele D. Hotten
Election results
November 8 general election
Clayton Greene was retained in the Maryland Court of Appeals, Greene's Seat election with 80.71% of the vote.
| Maryland Court of Appeals, Greene's Seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Clayton Greene | 80.71% | |
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections | ||
Michele D. Hotten was retained in the Maryland Court of Appeals, Hotten's Seat election with 87.18% of the vote.
| Maryland Court of Appeals, Hotten's Seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Michele D. Hotten | 87.18% | |
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections | ||
Political composition
Judges on the Maryland Court of Appeals are nonpartisan and appointed to their seats. Judges Clayton Greene, Joseph Getty, and Michele D. Hotten were appointed by Republican governors. Judges Mary Ellen Barbera, Sally Adkins, Shirley Marie Watts, and Robert N. McDonald were appointed by Democratic governors.
| ■ Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera | Appointed by Martin O'Malley (D) in 2009 | |
| ■ Sally Adkins | Appointed by Martin O'Malley (D) in 2008 | |
| ■ Joseph Getty | Appointed by Larry Hogan (R) in 2016 | |
| ■ Clayton Greene | Appointed by Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (R) in 2004 | |
| ■ Michele D. Hotten | Appointed by Larry Hogan (R) in 2015 | |
| ■ Robert N. McDonald | Appointed by Martin O'Malley (D) in 2011 | |
| ■ Shirley Marie Watts | Appointed by Martin O'Malley (D) in 2013 |
Selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Maryland
Judges are appointed to serve 10-year terms by the governor of the state and must be confirmed by the Maryland Senate before taking office. At least one year after the appointment, the judge must stand for retention by voters. In a retention election, voters are asked if a judge should be kept in office for another term; if a majority of the vote is "yes," the judge is retained. If the judge is retained, he or she will serve another 10-year term. Maryland judges must retire upon reaching age 70.[3][4]
Qualifications
Court of Appeals judges must be:
- citizens and qualified voters of Maryland;
- residents of the state for at least five years
- residents of the appellate judicial circuit to which they are appointed for at least the prior six months;
- 30 years of age at the time of appointment;
- admitted to practice law in Maryland; and
- "most distinguished for integrity, wisdom and sound legal knowledge."[5]
Chief judge
The chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals is selected by the governor and serves as the administrative head of the state's judicial system, according to the Maryland Constitution.[3][6]
State profile
| Demographic data for Maryland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,994,983 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 9,707 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 57.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 29.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 6% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 3% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 9% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 89.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 37.9% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $74,551 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 10.7% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Maryland. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Maryland
Maryland voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Maryland coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Maryland
- United States congressional delegations from Maryland
- Public policy in Maryland
- Endorsers in Maryland
- Maryland fact checks
- More...
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Maryland court elections' OR 'Maryland Supreme Court 2016' OR 'Maryland Supreme Court election'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Maryland State Archives, "APPOINTMENTS BY GOVERNOR, 1996-2015," accessed August 18, 2015
- ↑ The State Board of Elections, "2016 Presidential General Election State Candidates List," accessed August 9, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Court of Appeals, "Origin and Functions"
- ↑ Maryland Manual, "Constitution of Maryland, Article IV, Judiciary Department, Sections 3 and 5," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Maryland Manual, "Constitution of Maryland, Article IV, Judiciary Department, Section 2" accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Maryland Manual, "Constitution of Maryland, Article IV, Judiciary Department, Section 14," accessed April 21, 2015
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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
