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SB0542 • 2026

Courts - Former Judge - Temporary Assignment

Courts - Former Judge - Temporary Assignment

Elections
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Chair, Judicial Proceedings Committee (By Request - Maryland Judicial Conference )
Last action
2026-02-05
Official status
In the Senate - Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date
2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Courts - Former Judge - Temporary Assignment

Authorizing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland to recall to judicial office for a temporary assignment a former judge who had the judge's most recent service terminated by reason of defeat for election if the judge had previously won election to judicial office.

What This Bill Does

  • Authorizing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland to recall to judicial office for a temporary assignment a former judge who had the judge's most recent service terminated by reason of defeat for election if the judge had previously won election to judicial office.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.

  2. 2026-02-04 Senate

    First Reading Judicial Proceedings

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Courts - Former Judge - Temporary Assignment

Official Summary Text

Authorizing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland to recall to judicial office for a temporary assignment a former judge who had the judge's most recent service terminated by reason of defeat for election if the judge had previously won election to judicial office.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0542*

SENATE BILL 542
D1 6lr2494
CF HB 428
By: Chair, Judicial Proceedings Committee (By Request – Maryland Judicial
Conference)
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Courts – Former Judge – Temporary Assignment 2

FOR the purpose of altering the eligibility for a former judge to be recalled for temporary 3
assignment; and generally relating to former judges and temporary assignments. 4

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 5
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 6
Section 1–302(a) and (b) 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 9

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 11
Section 1–302(c) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16

Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 17

1–302. 18

(a) In this section, “former judge” means a judge who previously served in a court. 19

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Ch ief Justice of the 20
Supreme Court of Maryland may assign any former judge to sit temporarily in any court if 21
the temporary assignment is approved by the administrative judge of the circuit in which 22
the former judge is to be assigned and if the former judge: 23
2 SENATE BILL 542

(1) Has served in the aggregate at least 2 years as a judge, except that in 1
Talbot County, the former judge shall have served in the aggregate at least 1 year as a 2
judge; 3

(2) Has been approved for assignment by a majority of the justices of the 4
Supreme Court of Maryland; 5

(3) Meets the standards established by this section as well as any 6
additional standards established by rule of the Supreme Court of Maryland; and 7

(4) Has consented to the assignment. 8

(c) A former judge may not be recalled for temporary assignment if the judge: 9

(1) Was removed or involuntarily retired from judicial office pursuant to 10
the Constitution or laws of this State; 11

(2) Voluntarily retired by reason of disability; 12

(3) Had the most recent service as a judge termi nated by reason of defeat 13
for election to judicial office , UNLESS THE JUDGE PRE VIOUSLY WON ELECTION TO 14
JUDICIAL OFFICE, or by rejection of confirmation by the Senate; 15

(4) Was censured by the Supreme Court of Maryland upon 16
recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Disabilities; or 17

(5) Is engaged in the practice of law. 18

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 19
October 1, 2026. 20