Md. gets 1st African-American woman appeals judge

[Blue_Tires]

When she was sworn in today, Judge Michele D. Hotten became the first African-American woman to serve on the bench of any Maryland appellate court.

Gov. Martin O'Malley appointed Hotten last month to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the state's second-highest court. She had been a judge for 15 years in Prince George's County Circuit Court. A graduate of Howard University's law school, Hotten has also served as counsel to the Prince George's County Human Relations Commission and as a county prosecutor.

"Many judges and lawyers have written to me to describe Judge Hotten as impeccably prepared, uniformly fair, and a devoted legal scholar with a truly legendary work ethic," O'Malley said in a statement.

Hotten fills a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James P. Salmon.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/2010/08/state_gets_its_first_africanam.html

[bliss_eternal]

1. Go Maryland...!

:applause:

[kwassa]

2. That's my gov.

I still have my O'Malley/Brown sign on the front lawn, even though the election is over.

He might be a future Democratic presidential candidate, in 2012.