Mary Ellen Barbera


Mary Ellen Barbera is an American lawyer and jurist from Baltimore, Maryland.

Education

In 1975, Barbera earned a bachelor's degree from Towson State College. In 1984, Barbera earned a JD degree from University of Maryland School of Law.

Career

Since July 8, 2013, she has served as Chief Judge on the Maryland Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state. Until 2008, she served as a judge on the Court of Appeals representing the 7th Appellate Judicial Circuit. Barbera, a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law, is the first female Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals.
Prior to her appointment to the Court of Appeals, she served as an at large judge on Maryland's intermediate appellate court, the Court of Special Appeals, from January 4, 2002 to September 2, 2008. On July 3, 2013, Governor Martin O'Malley appointed Judge Barbera as successor to former Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.