CALIFORNIA, Md. (December 23, 2011)—Governor O’Malley has appointed David Wylie Densford to the Circuit Court for St. Mary's County. Judge C. Clarke Raley confirmed in early January 2011 that he would retire from the bench on April 30, 2011.
Six other attorneys applied to the Maryland Judicial Nominating Commission for the position earlier this year: Bryan Timothy Dugan, Alfred Antonio Lacer, Alfred Shane Mattingly, Joseph Michael Stanalonis, James Lee Tanavage, and Theodore Paul Weiner.
The Governor's office released the following short biography of Densford:
"David Densford has been a trial litigator in St. Mary’s County for 27 years. He has worked as a solo practitioner, as part of a small firm, and as an Assistant Public Defender. He has extensive experience in criminal, landlord/tenant, and family law issues. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Densford was a television and print journalist. He has served on the Board of Governors of the Maryland State Bar Association and the Board of Directors of the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association."
Each Circuit Court judge is appointed by the Governor (with Senate confirmation) and then must stand for election. The judge's name is placed on the ballot in the first general election that occurs at least one year following the vacancy the judge was appointed to fill. The judge may be opposed formally by one or more qualified members of the bar, with the successful candidate being elected to a fifteen-year term.