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Shirley M. Watts

Maryland Court of Appeals
Biography

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.

Professional Experience
Justice
Maryland Court of Appeals
- Current
Judge
Court of Special Appeals, 6th Appellate Circuit (Baltimore City)
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Justice
Baltimore City Circuit Court, 8th Judicial Circuit
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Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge
Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland
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Federal Administrative Law Judge
Federal Administrative Law Judge, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration, Downey, California, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
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Supervisory Assistant Federal Public Defender
Office of Federal Public Defender, District of Maryland
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Adjunct Professor
Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America
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Assistant Federal Public Defender
Office of Federal Public Defender, District of Maryland
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Assistant State's Attorney
Juvenile, Misdemeanor and Felony Trial Divisions, Baltimore City
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Education
Rutgers School of Law-Camden
J.D. (1983) | Law
Rutgers School of Law-Camden Logo
Howard University
B.A. (1980)
Honors: cum laude
Howard University Logo
Awards
Maryland Leadership in Law Award
Daily Record
Outstanding Leadership Award for Hearing Office Administrative Law Judges
Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration
Professional Associations
Baltimore City and Monumental City Bar Associations, Alliance of Black Women Attorneys, National Association of Women Judges
Member
Current
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History Committee, Baltimore Chapter, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Chair
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Websites & Blogs
Website
Court biography
Website
Maryland Court of Appeals
Contact & Map
111 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Telephone: (410) 244-8952