EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0877*
SENATE BILL 877
D2 5lr1846
CF HB 975
By: Senator Hershey
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2025
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Queen Anne’s County – Circuit Court Judgeships 2
FOR the purpose of increasing the number of resident judges of the Circuit Court for Queen 3
Anne’s County; and generally relating to circuit court judgeships in Queen Anne’s 4
County. 5
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 7
Section 1–501 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 12
Section 1–503 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 18
1–501. 19
The circuit courts are the highest common–law and equity courts of record exercising 20
original jurisdiction within the State. Each has full common–law and equity powers and 21
jurisdiction in all civil and criminal cases within its county, and all the additional powers 22
and jurisdiction conferred by the Constitution and by law, except where by law jurisdiction 23
has been limited or conferred exclusively upon another tribunal. 24
2 SENATE BILL 877
1–503. 1
(a) In each county in the first seven judicial circuits there shall be the number of 2
resident judges of the circuit court set forth below, including the judge or judges provided 3
for by the Constitution: 4
(1) Allegany ................................................................................................... 2 5
(2) Anne Arundel ........................................................................................ 13 6
(3) Baltimore County .................................................................................. 21 7
(4) Calvert ..................................................................................................... 3 8
(5) Caroline ................................................................................................... 1 9
(6) Carroll...................................................................................................... 4 10
(7) Cecil ......................................................................................................... 4 11
(8) Charles .................................................................................................... 5 12
(9) Dorchester ............................................................................................... 1 13
(10) Frederick ................................................................................................. 6 14
(11) Garrett ..................................................................................................... 1 15
(12) Harford .................................................................................................... 6 16
(13) Howard .................................................................................................... 5 17
(14) Kent ......................................................................................................... 1 18
(15) Montgomery .......................................................................................... 24 19
(16) Prince George’s ..................................................................................... 25 20
(17) Queen Anne’s .................................................................................... [1] 2 21
(18) St. Mary’s ................................................................................................ 3 22
(19) Somerset .................................................................................................. 1 23
(20) Talbot ....................................................................................................... 1 24
(21) Washington ............................................................................................ 6 25 SENATE BILL 877 3
(22) Wicomico .................................................................................................. 4 1
(23) Worcester ................................................................................................. 3 2
(b) In Baltimore City there shall be 35 resident judges of the Circuit Court for 3
Baltimore City. 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall tak e effect July 5
1, 2025. 6