7 lawyers apply for judgeship

Gov. to appoint district court successor to Slade

Friday, Oct. 23, 2009

The choice of the new judge ultimately will be made by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) after he interviews the nominees. The governor's appointee will replace Judge John F. Slade III and begin a 10-year term. Slade began presiding in 1999, and he has said he will still be available to fill in as needed when his term is completed at the end of this month.

The lawyers meeting Wednesday's deadline to apply for the job include the county government's attorney, two prosecutors and four attorneys in private practice.

Christy Holt Chesser, 49, began her legal career as a clerk to Circuit Judge John Hanson Briscoe, who is now in active retirement. She worked nine years as a prosecutor for former State's Attorney Walter B. Dorsey, including as his deputy, and began the job of county attorney in 2006.

"I view it as a great opportunity to serve my county and the state of Maryland," Chesser said of her application for the district court judgeship. "I believe it would be a varied and interesting job," she said, "and one that I would be good at and enjoy."

David W. Densford, 57, worked as a public defender for five years during his 25-year legal career, and has served as a court-appointed prosecutor in three cases during his private practice.

"The district court judge has a unique position in the community," Densford said. "It's a position I think I can perform well, and look forward to trying."

A. Shane Mattingly, 47, began his private practice in 1987 and also was called upon to serve as a court-appointed prosecutor during Dorsey's years as state's attorney.

"I look upon it as a natural extension of being a lawyer," Mattingly said of the judgeship. "I think every lawyer worth his salt wants to aspire to the bench, … weighing the law and the facts and coming up with a fair and impartial decision."

Thomas E. Pyles, 43, has been in private practice throughout a legal career that began in 1991, and in the past 10 years he has handled three dozen jury trials and tried more than 100 cases in district courts in jurisdictions throughout the state.

"I believe I have what it takes to be a district court judge, and that's based on the vast experience that I have not only at the district court level, but also at the circuit court level," Pyles said. "I have the personal integrity and the intellect to help people resolve their issues and disputes."

Joseph M. Stanalonis, 38, went to work as a St. Mary's assistant state's attorney in 1997 within a month after his legal career began, and after serving as a clerk during Dorsey's administration.

"I've had a lot of opportunities to prosecute all levels of cases, including misdemeanors and felonies, [and] also handle juvenile and adult drug cases in drug court," Stanalonis said. "I hope to start a substance abuse court in the district court to try to reduce the extremely large rate of recidivism, … the volume of repeat offenders."

Theodore P. Weiner, 56, began his law practice at the end of 1977, and his career has included working for St. Mary's nine years as its assistant county attorney and county attorney. He resumed his private practice before going to work in 1994 as an assistant prosecutor for Dorsey, and later transitioned to his current job as deputy state's attorney for Dorsey's successor, Richard D. Fritz.

"I can do a very good job over there," Wiener said of the district court judgeship. "I'm extremely well qualified."

Joann M. Wood, 39, began her career as a lawyer in 1994, and her private practice currently includes serving as the attorney for the county's alcohol beverage board and the county's housing authority.

"This is a natural progression to advance my legal career, and also give back to the community," Wood said of her decision to apply for the judgeship. "It's a new opportunity."

The judicial nominating commission, which is scheduled to meet with the seven applicants on Dec. 9, is chaired by St. Mary's private practice attorney Sue Ann Lewis Armitage. The other lawyers on the panel are Janice L. Briscoe, D. Anne Emery, Cynthia S. Panos, Lisa Smith Sanders, John L. Erly, Julie A. Schejbal, Dorothy Gardner-Hodge, Jackson G. Upton and Alan J. Lander.

Additional members of the panel are Maggie O'Brien, Mark R. Frazer and Dixie C. Miller.

jwharton@somdnews.com