Greenberg Named Administrative Judge for Montgomery County Circuit Court, Debilius Retiring on Aug. 1

Montgomery County Circuit Judge Robert Greenberg has been named the Administrative Judge for Montgomery County Circuit Court and the Circuit Administration Judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit (Frederick and Montgomery counties), effective Aug. 1.

Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera made the announcement earlier this week.

Greenberg succeeds Judge John Debelius III, who is retiring on Aug. 1.

“We are grateful to Judge Debelius for his outstanding service as County and Circuit Administrative Judge. He has been a highly effective, respected leader. His service to the people of Maryland has been exemplary,” Barbera said.  “I am confident that Judge Greenberg brings those considerable leadership and management skills necessary to continue to anticipate and meet the needs of the people served by the Sixth Judicial Circuit.”

“I want to thank Chief Judge Barbera for providing me this opportunity to serve,” Greenberg said. “Judge Debelius and I have worked together for 11 years. He set a standard of leadership that I will strive to emulate. I am looking forward to leading our Circuit during an exciting and dynamic time, including the implementation of a modernized, electronic case management system, and will continue to focus on providing the highest standard of judicial services.”

According to a news release, circuit administrative judges are responsible generally for the administration of the courts within the judicial circuit. County administrative judges oversee the administration of the court, budget and procurement functions, as well as trial calendars to ensure the expeditious disposition of cases.

Greenberg grew up in Montgomery County and attended Wheaton High School. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies from Washington College, he attended the University of Baltimore Law School, was a member of the Law Review from 1977 to 1978, and earned his Juris Doctor in 1978. He was admitted to the Maryland Bar the same year and served as a law clerk to Judge Plummer Shearin, Montgomery County Circuit Court, from 1978 to 1980. Before his appointment to the Circuit Court, Greenberg was Assistant State’s Attorney, Montgomery County, from 1981 to 1984. He was in private practice for 22 years, specializing in criminal defense.

Greenberg was appointed to the Montgomery County Circuit Court on January 11, 2006. He was a member of the Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities from 2006 to 2015 and served as Vice-Chair from 2011 to 2015. Judge Greenberg received the Anselm Sodaro Judicial Civility Award from the Maryland State Bar Association in 2015. He is currently Chair of the Judicial Inquiry Board and a member of the Pattern Jury Instruction Committee of the Maryland State Bar Association.

Judge Debelius was appointed to the Montgomery County Circuit Court on July 20, 2001, and has served as Administrative Judge for Montgomery County and the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which consists of Frederick and Montgomery counties, since September 1, 2009. He was Chair of the Conference of Circuit Judges from December 2014 to December 2016 and Vice-Chair from 2012 to 2014.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to have served my community and the people of Maryland as a judge for the past 16 years,” Debelius said. “I have been privileged to be a part of the Sixth Judicial Circuit and work with a group of great judges and very dedicated court employees, and I am sure that the courts will be in good hands under Judge Greenberg’s leadership. He has the confidence of his colleagues on the bench and brings a tremendous work ethic, years of experience, and good common sense to this new role.”

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