OAKLAND — Six people have applied for nomination to the position of Garrett County District Court judge, which was left vacant following Judge Leonard Eiswert’s retirement.
Eiswert’s mandatory re-tirement was effective March 21 because he turned 70 on March 22, according to Kathleen Stafford, administrative clerk for Allegany County District Court.
Eiswert has been intermittedly presiding as a retired district court judge and visiting judges have been presiding in district court as well, said Stafford.
The following attorneys have applied for nomination to the position: Angela Blythe, Tracey Henline, Stephan Moylan, Raymond Strubin, Daryl Walters and Lisa Thayer Welch. The Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission for Commission District 5 will narrow the field down to about three applicants, which will then be submitted to Gov. Martin O’Malley for appointment.
There is no time frame for O’Malley to make the appointment, according to Stafford. Hopefully, he makes the appointment soon, she said.
Blythe has her own practice, Blythe Law Offices, in Oakland; Henline is the assistant to the state’s attorney in the Garrett County District Court Division; Moylan is assistant public defender for the state of Maryland; Strubin is with the Garrett County District 12 Office of the Public Defender; Walters is master for the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court of Maryland; and Welch is the Garrett County state’s attorney.
The commission is accepting signed written comments, which will be used in the evaluation process, until Aug. 19. The applicants had until July to apply and the commission will interview them on Aug. 20.
Eiswert was district court judge since November 2008; was principal at Eiswert, Janes & Kepple from 1977 to 2008; was president of the Garrett County Bar Association from 1981 to 1982; served on Garrett County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; and served as vice-chair in 2000, according to the District Court of Maryland website.
Written comments should be addressed to Trial Court Judicial Nominating Commission for Commission District 5 c/o Administrative Office of the Courts Program Services 2001-D Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com
