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Circuit judge election fight shaping up

outlet moncler Not long ago, Baltimore County judges up for election coasted into their moncler saldi 15 year terms. They did little campaigning, had few opponents and knew moncler outlet online uomo unanimous support from the moncler saldi outlet legal community was just about inevitable. outlet moncler

piumini moncler uomo But those days of county congeniality are past. For the third consecutive election outlet moncler cycle, opposition candidates are attempting to unseat incumbent Circuit Court site link https://www.moncleroutlet-i.org moncler outlet judges, and local lawyers say they are bracing for another bitter fight. piumini moncler uomo

At stake are not just the four spots on the bench, lawyers say, but the quality of future judicial candidates and the system itself. And because of the quirks in piumini moncler uomo the way judges are elected an especially important factor in the March primary, when few Republicans are expected to vote many say moncler outlet the outcome is very much up in the air.

moncler bambino saldi FOR THE RECORD Because of incorrect information provided by the Baltimore County elections office, an article on Jan. 13 misstated the date Brenda A. Clark, a candidate for Baltimore County Circuit Court piumini moncler judge, moncler bambino outlet switched her party affiliation. Clark changed from Democratic piumini moncler saldi to Republican on Feb. moncler bambino saldi

“There are moncler saldi uomo worries about it,” said G. Warren Mix, an attorney who sits on the county’s judicial nominating committee. “This is a lot different [than in past elections], but that doesn’t take away from the fact that crazy things can happen.”

moncler saldi outlet Although most voters probably can’t name the candidates for judge this year, the incumbents are well known, and generally respected, in the legal community. moncler saldi outlet

Two of the four sitting judges John G. Turnbull II and Dana M. Levitz have served 15 year terms and are up for re election. The other two, Vicki Ballou Watts and Susan Souder, were appointed by former Gov. Paris N. Glendening in April 2002.

moncler bambino outlet They moncler bambino saldi are the types of judges who, in years past, would never have worried about losing their jobs. moncler bambino outlet

moncler outlet online shop But the last two elections changed that. moncler outlet online shop

moncler uomo In 2000, Robert N. Dugan, then a District Court judge, ran against two Glendening appointees for Circuit Court and won. In the next election, which split the legal community, moncler uomo lawyer Patrick Cavanaugh challenged the sitting judge ticket and was piumini moncler outlet voted onto the bench. moncler uomo

piumini moncler Given this recent history, lawyers were not surprised that challengers would once again try their luck. piumini moncler

moncler donna This year’s challengers retired city lawyer David L. Saltzman and attorney moncler outlet serravalle Brenda A. Clark offer only vague criticisms of the incumbents and the process, and will not piumini moncler scontatissimi identify which judge they feel is less qualified than they are. moncler donna

piumini moncler saldi “I have no idea why [this year’s candidates] feel they want to run now,” said Alfred L. Brennan Jr., a lawyer who added that he will vote for the sitting judges. piumini moncler saldi

But Clark and Saltzman reject the idea that they have little reason to run.

moncler outlet serravalle “I’ve aspired to become a judge for a long time,” Clark said. To her, a successful challenge will be a victory against what she sees as an overly political nominating system that once rejected her attempt to be a Circuit Court judge. moncler outlet serravalle

piumini moncler outlet “This is just a regular guy campaign,” she moncler outlet trebaseleghe said. “Those are my constituents, my supporters.” piumini moncler outlet

moncler saldi Saltzman, who lives in Pikesville, is relatively unknown in Baltimore County court records show he has moncler outlet online shop filed fewer than 12 cases in Baltimore County Circuit Court in the past decade. He is 67, which means he would serve only two years on the bench before mandatory retirement. moncler saldi

piumini moncler scontatissimi He has never applied for a judgeship through the established nominating process. piumini moncler scontatissimi

moncler saldi uomo “I was too busy,” he said. “Or too busy having leisure. There’s something about the timing, the people, the circumstances that, to me, make it right now.” moncler saldi uomo

Every judicial race is affected by the fact that most people don’t know the candidates. Many in the legal community believe voters simply pick the first names on the ballot, which lists candidates in alphabetical order.

moncler outlet trebaseleghe This is one theory of how widely respected Baltimore County Circuit Judge Alexander Wright Jr. was knocked off the bench in 2000 and 2002. Although some say race played a role in his defeat Wright is black, and would have been the first African American voted to countywide office many say the main issue was that his name began with “W.” moncler outlet trebaseleghe

moncler outlet This year, incumbent judges moncler donna Turnbull and Souder are at the bottom of the ballot. moncler outlet

moncler outlet online uomo Turnbull, the administrative judge, is credited with the smooth operation of the county Circuit Court. He is also part of a county dynasty the Turnbulls have long served in politics and law here moncler outlet online uomo.