Shirley M. Watts

SHIRLEY M. WATTS, Judge, Court of Appeals, 6th Appellate Circuit (Baltimore City), since July 31, 2013
Judge, Court of Special Appeals, 6th Appellate Circuit (Baltimore City), January 27, 2011 to July 31, 2013.

Associate Judge, Baltimore City Circuit Court, 8th Judicial Circuit, February 5, 2002 to January 26, 2011.
Assistant State's Attorney, Juvenile, Misdemeanor and Felony Trial Divisions, Baltimore City, 1984-88. Assistant Federal Public Defender, 1988-93, and Supervisory Assistant Federal Public Defender, 1993-97, Office of Federal Public Defender, District of Maryland. Federal Administrative Law Judge, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration, Downey, California, 1997-98, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1998-99. Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland, 1999-2002.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland. Howard University, B.A., cum laude, 1980; Rutgers University School of Law, J.D., 1983. Member, Baltimore City and Monumental City Bar Associations. Member, Alliance of Black Women Attorneys; National Association of Women Judges. Chair, History Committee, Baltimore Chapter, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 2001. Member, Slavery Awareness Advisory Council, 2001. Adjunct professor, Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America, 1993-96. Outstanding Leadership Award for Hearing Office Administrative Law Judges, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration, 2000. Maryland Leadership in Law Award, Daily Record, 2011.

Justice

Maryland Court of Appeals

2013 - Current

Judge

Court of Special Appeals, 6th Appellate Circuit (Baltimore City)

2011 - 2013

Justice

Baltimore City Circuit Court, 8th Judicial Circuit

2002 - 2011

Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge

Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland

1999 - 2002

Federal Administrative Law Judge

Federal Administrative Law Judge, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration, Downey, California, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

1997 - 1999

Supervisory Assistant Federal Public Defender

Office of Federal Public Defender, District of Maryland

1993 - 1997

Adjunct Professor

Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America

1993 - 1996

Assistant Federal Public Defender

Office of Federal Public Defender, District of Maryland

1988 - 1993

Assistant State's Attorney

Juvenile, Misdemeanor and Felony Trial Divisions, Baltimore City

1984 - 1988

Rutgers School of Law-Camden

J.D. (1983) | Law

1983

Howard University

B.A. (1980)

1980

Honors: cum laude

Maryland Leadership in Law Award

Daily Record

2011

Outstanding Leadership Award for Hearing Office Administrative Law Judges

Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration

2000

Baltimore City and Monumental City Bar Associations, Alliance of Black Women Attorneys, National Association of Women Judges

Member

Current

History Committee, Baltimore Chapter, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Chair

2001 - 2001