SUPREME COURT OF MARYLAND

[photo, Shirley M. Watts, Court of Appeals Judge] SHIRLEY M. WATTS, Justice, Supreme Court of Maryland, 6th Appellate Judicial Circuit (Baltimore City), since July 31, 2013 (prior to Dec. 14, 2022, Supreme Court of Maryland was named Court of Appeals). Judge, Court of Appeals, July 31, 2013 to December 13, 2022. Member, Maryland Judicial Conference Work Group, 2016-18, and Judicial Education Subcommittee, 2017-18, of Education Committee of Judicial Council.

Judge, Court of Special Appeals, 6th Appellate Circuit (Baltimore City), January 27, 2011 to July 31, 2013. Member, Maryland Access to Justice Commission, 2011-13.

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 Bar Association; Monumental City Bar Association. Member, Alliance of Black Women Attorneys. 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. First African-American Women Jurist Court of Appeals of Maryland Award, New Psalmist Bapist Church Legacy Foundation, Inc., 2013. Torchbearer Award for Distinguished Service in Law and the Maryland Judiciary, Baltimore Chapter, National Alliance of 100 Black Women, 2013. Legacy Award, Alliance of Black Women Attorneys, 2014. Margaret Brent/Juanita Jackson Mitchell Award, Baltimore City Bar Association, 2014. Law and Justice Award, Baltimore City Club, National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., 2017. Rita C. Davidson Award, Women's Bar Association of Maryland, 2017.
Office: (410) 244-8952

Maryland Judiciary
Maryland Government
Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance

Maryland Manual On-Line

© Copyright Maryland State Archives