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Peter K. Killough
Peter K. Killough is a judge for the 4th Circuit of the Maryland Supreme Court. He assumed office on July 31, 2024. His current term ends on December 31, 2026.
Killough first became a member of the Maryland Supreme Court through an appointment. Wes Moore (D) first appointed Killough to the court on July 25, 2024 to the seat vacated by Michele Hotten. To read more about judicial selection in Maryland, click here. To learn more about this appointment, click here.
Biography
Killough earned a B.A. from New York University, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Prior to his appointment to the Maryland Supreme Court, Killough served as an Associate Judge on the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County from 2018 to 2024. Killough served with the Maryland office of the Attorney General from 2009 to 2018, and also served as a senior attorney for the Ford Motor Company’s Office of General Counsel. [1]
Appointments
On July 25, 2024, Governor Wes Moore (D) nominated Peter K. Killough to the Maryland Supreme Court. Killough replaced justice Michele D. Hotten, who retired on April 21, 2024, due to reaching Maryland's mandatory retirement age. Killough is Governor Moore's (D) first nominee to the seven-member supreme court.[2]
In Maryland, state supreme court justices are selected through assisted appointment with a governor-controlled judicial nominating commission. Justices are appointed by the governor with the assistance of a commission with a majority of members selected by the governor. There are 10 states that use this selection method. To read more about the assisted appointment of judges, click here.
If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends qualified candidates to the governor and the governor selects a successor from that list. The new appointee serves for at least one year and then stands for retention at the next general election.[3]
State supreme court judicial selection in Maryland
- See also: Judicial selection in Maryland
The seven judges of the Maryland Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. The Maryland Judicial Nominating Commission is responsible for screening candidates and submitting a shortlist to the governor. This commission consists of 17 members appointed by the governor and the Maryland State Bar Association. The governor must appoint a judge from the commission's shortlist and the appointee must then be confirmed by the Maryland State Senate.[3][4]
After serving for one year, judges must stand for retention in the next general election if they wish to remain on the court. If retained, a judge wins a full ten-year term.[3]
The court's name changed from the Maryland Court of Appeals to the Maryland Supreme Court, following a ballot initiative that voters approved in November 2022.[5]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
- a U.S. and state citizen;
- a registered state voter;
- a state resident for at least five years;
- a resident of the geographic area where the vacancy exists for at least six months;
- a state bar member;
- at least 30 years old; and
- under the age of 70 (retirement at 70 is mandatory).[3]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the court is designated by the governor to serve indefinite terms.[3]
Vacancies
If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends qualified candidates to the governor and the governor selects a successor from that list. The new appointee serves for at least one year and then stands for retention at the next general election.[3]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
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Officeholder Maryland Supreme Court 4th Circuit |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Office of Governor Wes Moore, "Governor Moore Appoints Hon. Peter K. Killough to the Supreme Court of Maryland," July 25, 2024
- ↑ Maryland Matters, "Moore nominates first state Supreme Court justice," July 25, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Maryland," accessed August 16, 2021
- ↑ Maryland Manual Online, APPELLATE COURTS JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION," February 28, 2020
- ↑ CBS Baltimore, "The Court of Appeals of Maryland is now the Supreme Court of Maryland," December 14, 2022
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
