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Shirley Marie Watts
Justice, Maryland Supreme Court · 6th Circuit
Background: She began her legal career in 1984 as an assistant state's attorney for the Baltimore's Juvenile, Misdemeanor and Felony Trial Division. From 2002 to 2011, Watts was an associate judge for Maryland Eighth Circuit.
At a glance
- Court
- Maryland Supreme Court
- Position / seat
- 6th Circuit
- Chief justice
- No
- How they joined the court
- Appointed by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) (July 2013); retained by voters in a retention election on November 5, 2024
- Appointed by
- Gov. Martin O'Malley (D)
- Appointment date
- July 2013
- Took office
- July 31, 2013
- Current term ends
- December 31, 2034
- Next election or retention vote
- Not listed
- Last election
- November 5, 2024
- Party (as listed by Ballotpedia)
- Nonpartisan
- Ballotpedia partisanship estimate
- Mild Democrat (2020 study of justices' pre-court partisan activity)
- Education
- Bachelor's: Howard University, 1980
- Law: Rutgers University, 1983
- Prior offices
- Not listed
- Profession
- Not listed
- How this court's justices are chosen
- Assisted appointment (governor-controlled commission)A nominating commission screens candidates and sends a shortlist; the governor appoints from it. In many such states, justices later face yes/no retention elections.
Summary of facts listed on Shirley Marie Watts’s Ballotpedia page (retrieved Oct 26, 2026) · Photo: Ballotpedia. “Not listed” means Ballotpedia didn’t list it in a form this site could read; check Ballotpedia for the latest.
No public decision data available for this court.