APPELLATE COURT OF MARYLAND

[photo, Laura S. Kiessling, Maryland Court of Special Appeals Judge] LAURA S. RIPKEN, Judge, Appellate Court of Maryland, 5th Appellate Judicial Circuit (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles & St. Mary's counties), since January 17, 2021 (prior to Dec. 14, 2022, Appellate Court of Maryland was named Court of Special Appeals). Judge, Court of Special Appeals, 5th Appellate Judicial Circuit (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles & St. Mary's counties), January 11, 2021 to December 13, 2022.

Chair, Conference of Circuit Judges, January 1, 2019 to January 11, 2021 (vice-chair, 2016).


Circuit Administrative Judge, 5th Judicial Circuit (Anne Arundel, Carroll & Howard counties), April 13, 2015 to January 11, 2021, and County Administrative Judge, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, April 13, 2015 to January 11, 2021 (Associate Judge, February 19, 2010 to April 13, 2015). Member, Criminal Law and Procedure Committee, Maryland Judicial Conference, 2013-14. Member, Court Technology Committee, 2015-17, Domestic Law Committee, 2015, and Education Committee, 2016-, Judicial Council. Member, Executive Committee, Conference of Circuit Judges, 2015-21. Member, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, 2015-21, and Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council, 2015-21, Anne Arundel County. Member, Judicial Council, Maryland Judicial Conference, 2016-21 (executive committee, 2019-21); Equal Justice Committee, 2019-, Judicial Council.

Assistant State's Attorney, Anne Arundel County, 1991-2006 (law clerk, 1991; chief, hate crimes unit, 2001-10). Deputy State's Attorney, Anne Arundel County, 2006-10.

Born in Washington, DC, 1964. Lehigh University, B.A., 1986; Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, J.D., 1989. Law clerk to Judge Bruce C. Williams, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, 1989-91. Admitted to Maryland Bar, 1990; District of Columbia Bar, 1990. Member, Maryland State Bar Association; Anne Arundel County Bar Association (board of trustees, 2011-); National District Attorneys Association; Maryland State's Attorneys' Association. Member, James C. Cawood, Jr. American Inn of Court. Board of Directors, Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County; Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation; Hearts and Homes for Youth. Volunteer elementary school reader, Read Across America, National Education Association. Stroke and turn official, Greater Annapolis Swim League. Fannie Lou Hamer Award, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Fund, 2008. Citizen of the Year Award, Knights of Columbus, 2009. Maryland's Top 100 Women, Daily Record, 2023. Board of Trustees, Temple Beth Shalom, Arnold, Maryland.
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