Harris P. Murphy has been appointed Circuit Court Judge for Kent County. Murphy, currently serving as State’s Attorney for the county, was appointed by Gov. Larry Hogan to fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of the Hon. Paul M. Bowman, who has served since 2008.
The appointment was announced on the Maryland Courts website Aug. 24. Murphy was one of three candidates for the post.
Murphy, age 47, has served as State’s Attorney since 2015, when he was elected to succeed Robert H. Strong, who retired after 16 years in the post. Previously, he was a practicing attorney for 18 years, including 10 years in the Public Defender’s offices in Kent and Queen Anne’s counties.
His appointment continues a family tradition; his father, Edward P. Murphy served as a Disxtrict Court judge in Baltimore County., where the younger Murphy grew up near Towson. A 1993 Washington College graduate, he earned his J.D. at University of Baltimore law school in 1996 and passed the bar in 1997. He also served as clerk to former Kent County Circuit Court Judge J. Frederick Price and to Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Edward A. DeWaters Jr.
Murphy must now be confirmed by the Maryland State Senate, and then stand for election in 2018. If elected, he will serve a 15-year term.
George Hardy says
Harris Murphy’s family tradition of judgeships is longer than was noted. His grandfather and namesake was Judge Charles Harris, Baltimore City Supreme Bench, 1962-1976.