Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera met with Charles County Circuit Court and District Court judges and personnel today as part of her statewide tour of courts and facilities.
Visiting the state’s Circuit and District Courts has been a priority for Maryland’s new chief judge, and she has traveled to approximately half the state’s court facilities since early July, when Gov. Martin O’Malley appointed her to lead the state’s court system.
“I’ve been learning first-hand what our courts need to provide fair, timely, and easy access to justice here and throughout Maryland,” said Chief Judge Barbera, who met with judges and court staff during her visit to Charles County. “It’s been wonderful to meet with colleagues and tour the court facilities. It’s also been a privilege to meet the many hardworking professionals at every level who make it possible for our courts to operate and our judges to do their jobs,” she said.
“It was an honor to welcome Chief Judge Barbera for a tour of the Circuit Court, District Court, and other offices that support our courts. I am so pleased that she took the time to observe our operations and meet our personnel,” said Circuit Judge Amy Janel Bragunier, the administrative judge for Charles County. “We are very proud of our long history of efficient delivery of judicial services to the community, which would be impossible without the dedication and hard work of our tremendous courthouse staff.”
Chief Judge Barbera has noted that aging, cramped facilities and outdated technologies are issues for many courts.
Judge Bragunier agreed. “Our county is growing. To help meet the resulting need for additional judicial services, the Legislature approved a third judgeship for the county’s District Court. We are undergoing renovations to our physical plant, necessitated by the relocation of the District Court, Orphans’ Court, and Land Records to a new, adjacent building. The County Commissioners and Department of Public Works Facilities have been very responsive and helpful in our endeavor to improve the physical space and to ensure efficiency, public safety, and universal access to the courts,” she said.
During her tour of the Charles County District Court facilities, Chief Judge Barbera met with Judge W. Louis Hennessy and Judge Kenneth A. Talley, and enjoyed an opportunity to discuss their ideas and suggestions about how the courts can serve the citizens of Charles County.
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