ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Wes Moore today announced appointments to the District 12 Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission for Calvert and St. Mary’s Counties. John (Jay) Erly will serve as chair.

“Our Judicial Nominating Commissions are critical to our justice system,” said Gov. Moore. “I thank each of our appointees for raising their hands to serve and for helping us ensure that our state lives up to the full promise of promoting equal justice under law.”

There are sixteen Trial Court Judicial Nominating Commissions established by executive order.? The commissions advertise judicial vacancies; seek recommendations for judicial candidates from their own membership, bar associations, and members of the general public; set closing dates for the submission of judicial applications; and evaluate applicants based on a variety of factors including their integrity, temperament, legal knowledge, and professional experience.

Governor Moore’s 13 appointees include: 

John L. Erly, Chair

John L. Erly is a partner at Cumberland & Erly, LLC, which he co-founded in 1995. Previously, he was appointed special prosecutor in both St. Mary’s County and Calvert County to represent the state in criminal prosecutions and has served on both O’Malley Administration and Hogan Administration Judicial Nominations Commissions. Erly is the former president of the Calvert County Bar Association and a current member of the Calvert County, Maryland State, and American Bar Associations. He received his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.

Kelsey R.M. Bush

Kelsey Bush is a community affairs liaison with the Office of Student Affairs at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. He previously served as interim chief diversity officer for the college, where he led the development of inclusivity-related programs, services, and communications. Bush has served on a number of local and statewide commissions, including the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture, the St. Mary’s County Human Relations Commission, and the St. Mary’s County Teen Court Inc. Oversight Committee. He received his J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Rebecca Cordero

Rebecca Cordero is the Senior Assistant State’s Attorney for the Office of the State’s Attorney for Calvert County. Previously, she served as a state prosecutor in both Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties and as a law clerk for the Honorable Michael P. Whalen in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. She received her J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Rose C. Crunkelton

Rose Crunkelton is a solo practitioner, focusing on estate planning, probate, contracts, and business law. She was previously an attorney with Wilkinson & Zapp Law Offices, PC, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Steven L. Platt in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. Crunkelton has also served as the president of the Calvert County Bar Association and on the board of directors of the Maryland PTA. She is also a member of the Northern Calvert Rotary Club and received her J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Rose Victoria Frederick

Rose Frederick is a senior program acquisition analyst with Imagine-One, supporting Naval Air Systems Command and Department of Defense programs. She has previously been a board member of the St. Mary’s County Board of Elections, an events coordinator for the St. Mary’s County Democratic Central Committee and a member of the St. Mary’s County NAACP. She received her Master of Science in management from the University of Management and Technology.

Melissa Ann Miller

Melissa Miller is the lead attorney in the Law Offices of Thomas Mike V. Miller, Jr. PA. Previously, she was an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office and served as a law clerk for Judge J. Bradford McCullough on the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. Miller is also a member of the Maryland Criminal Defense Association and received her J.D. from Catholic University School of Law.

Kevin J. McDevitt

Kevin McDevitt is the owner and managing attorney at the Law Offices of Kevin McDevitt, where her is well known for his criminal defense work. He has previously served in the St. Mary’s, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Offices. McDevitt has also served as a mediator in the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office, as well as a peer reviewer for the Attorney Grievance Commission. He is currently a member of the St. Mary’s County and Maryland State Bar Associations and received his J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

David Stamm

David Stamm is the founder of the Lighthouse Title Company of Maryland, LLC and is a solo practitioner at the Stamm Law Firm, LLC, where he practices real estate law. Previously, he was the regional executive director of Capital Area Title and general counsel at a real estate services company. Additionally, Stamm clerked for Judge Steven Chappelle on the Circuit Court for Charles County. He received his J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. 

Allison Hyde Smart

Allison Hyde Smart is an Assistant Attorney General with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Previously, she was an associate at Dugan, McKissick & Longmore, LLC, practicing civil litigation and real estate law, and served as the Senior Law Clerk to Chief Judge Wells on the Appellate Court of Maryland. Smart has also served as a board member of the Calvert County Bar Association and the Calvert Library Foundation. She received her J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Daniel Armitage

Daniel Armitage is a partner with Armitage and Armitage. He has a general practice and also serves as counsel to the St. Mary’s County Department of Social Services, in addition to serving as a hearing officer for the St. Mary’s County Housing Authority. Armitage is also a member of the family recovery court advisory team for the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County and previously served as a law clerk for the Honorable Marvin Kaminetz, Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County. He received his J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Nicholas Ferrante

Nicholas Ferrante is a partner at Ferrante & Dill, LLC, where his practice focuses on civil litigation, criminal defense, and business law. Prior to starting his current firm, he worked as a solo practitioner and as an attorney for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Ferrante also previously served as associate counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He received his J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Margaret Maupin

Margaret Maupin is a staff attorney with the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau’s Southern Office. Previously, she worked as an attorney for the Women’s Center of Southern Maryland and was a partner at Daughtery & Maupin, P.C. She has also served as a commissioner with the St. Mary’s Commission on Women and is currently a volunteer with WARM, an emergency shelter. She received her J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law.

Tracey A. McKirgan

Tracey McKirgan previously served as a Magistrate for the Circuit Court for Calvert County. Before that she served as chief deputy clerk for the Maryland Appellate Court and as an attorney in Calvert County. She received her B.A. from the University of Maryland College Park and her J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.