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Mary Ellen Barbera

Maryland Court of Appeals
Biography

MARY ELLEN BARBERA, Chief Judge, Court of Appeals, since July 8, 2013 (Judge, 7th Appellate Judicial Circuit, Montgomery County, September 2, 2008-).
Judge, Court of Special Appeals, at Large, January 4, 2002 to September 2, 2008. Chair, Criminal Law and Procedure Committee, 2006-08 (member, 2002-08), and member, Judicial Ethics Committee, 2007-08, Maryland Judicial Conference.
Assistant Attorney General, 1985-89, and Deputy Chief, Criminal Appeals Division, 1989-98, Office of Attorney General. Member, Task Force to Examine Crime Victims' Rights Laws in Maryland, 1995-2003. Legal Counsel, Office of Governor, 1999-2002 (deputy legal counsel, 1998-99). Member, Public Safety Article Review Committee, 1999-2003.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, 1951. Towson State College, B.S. (early childhood education), cum laude, 1975. Teacher, Baltimore City Public School System, 1975-84. University of Maryland School of Law, J.D., 1984. Law clerk to Judge Robert L. Karwacki, Court of Special Appeals, 1984-85. Admitted to Maryland Bar, 1984. Member, Maryland State Bar Association (member, criminal law & practice section council, 1989-, chair, 1994-95; judicial administration section; litigation law section; standing committee to draft pattern jury instructions in criminal cases; special committee on anti-discrimination matters, 2002; special committee on citizenship law-related education program, 2007-; chair, special committee to study jury selection reform); Montgomery County Bar Association (board of directors); Howard County Bar Association; Women's Bar Association of Maryland. Fellow, Maryland Bar Foundation, 2002-; National Association of Women Judges, 2003-; Executive Council, Montgomery County Inns of Court, 2005-; Maryland - Leningrad Steering Committee, International Rule of Law Consortium (formerly Russian American Rule of Law Consortium), 2007-. Member, Serjeants' Inn Law Club; Wranglers Law Club.

Professional Experience
Justice
Maryland Court of Appeals
- Current
Chief Judge, Court of Appeals, since July 8, 2013 (Judge, 7th Appellate Judicial Circuit, Montgomery County, September 2, 2008-). Chair, Board of Directors, Judicial Institute of Maryland, 2009-14. Member, Maryland Access to Justice Commission, 2009-14. Chair, Advisory Board, Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office, 2013- (member, 2012-). Chair, Maryland Judicial Conference, 2013- (chair, judicial council, 2013-). Chair, Library Committee, Maryland State Law Library, 2013-. Member, Judges, Masters and Juvenile Justice Committee, 2013-. Chair, Hall of Records Commission, 2013-. Chair, Technology Oversight Board, 2013-; Public Trust and Confidence Implementation Committee, 2013-. Chair, Judicial Cabinet, 2013-; Advisory Board, Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office, 2013-. Member, Governor's Commission to Reform Maryland's Pretrial System, 2014.
Judge
Court of Special Appeals
-
Chair, Criminal Law and Procedure Committee, 2006-08 (member, 2002-08), and member, Judicial Ethics Committee, 2007-08, Maryland Judicial Conference.
Deputy Chief
Criminal Appeals Division
-
Assistant Attorney General
Attorney General's Office
-
Law clerk
Judge Robert L. Karwacki, Court of Special Appeals
-
Teacher
Baltimore City Public School System
-
Education
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
J.D. (1984) | Law
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Towson University
B.S. (1975) | Early Childhood Education
Honors: cum laude
Towson University Logo
Awards
Outstanding Achievement Award
Maryland Hispanic Bar Association
Advancement of Professional Competence Award
Maryland Bar Foundation
Rita C. Davidson Award
Maryland State Bar Association
Maryland's Top 100 Women
Daily Record
Robert C. Heeney Award
Criminal Law Section, Maryland State Bar Association
Maryland Leadership in Law Award
Daily Record
Outstanding Teaching by an Adjunct Faculty Member Award
University of Baltimore School of Law
Distinguished Service Award
Maryland State's Attorneys' Association
Professional Associations
Maryland State Bar Association
Various
Current
Activities: Member, criminal law & practice section council, 1989-, chair, 1994-95; judicial administration section; litigation law section; standing committee to draft pattern jury instructions in criminal cases; special committee on anti-discrimination matters, 2002; special committee on citizenship law-related education program, 2007-; chair, special committee to study jury selection reform.
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Montgomery County Bar Association
Board of Directors
Current
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Howard County Bar Association; Women's Bar Association of Maryland
Member
Current
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Montgomery County Inns of Court
Executive Council
- Current
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National Association of Women Judges
Member
- Current
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Maryland Bar Foundation
Fellow
- Current
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Websites & Blogs
Website
Court biography
Website
Maryland Court of Appeals
Contact & Map
50 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Telephone: (240) 777-9320