Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-19
BY CHARLES L. HOFFMAN

Contests for Circuit Court
judgeships in Montgomery
County are a rarity. but voters
this year have them.
Two of three seats on the all
important Circuit Court bench
are to be filled by the electorate
Six candidates-all of them
widely known members of the
bar-are in the race.
They include three Republi'
cans-Judges Kathryn j. Lawlol
and Thomas M. Anderson and
Attorney R. Duncan Clark.
On the Democratic side are
Attorney James c. Christopher,
County Attorney Charles M
Irelan and Juvenile Court Judge
Alfred D. Moves.
The voter probably has no
more important selection to
make this year than that of the
Circuit Court judges.
15-Year Commitment
AS the candidates themselves
have said, a congressman can
be replaced in two years and
a Senator in six years. The
delegates to party State con-
vention WELD power for only
one day.
But the judges elected will
sit for Is years.
In the general election, the
judgeship nominees of the two
parties run without party labels
Even in the primary, judgeshir
candidates-the only ones-have
the right to file in both Repub-
lican and Democratic races.
In Montgomery all six have
croSs-flled.
The result is that every Demo-
crat and Republican will get a
chance May Z to select his NOM
inees from all six.
Judge Anderson Appointed
The situation in Montgomery
came about this way:
In November, 1854. voters de-
cided there was a need for a
third judge in the county.
Gov. McKeldin in turn ap-
pointed Judge Anderson to the
new post.
Then former Chief Judge
Charles w. Woodward, a Demo-
crat, retired last April and the
Republican Governor appointed
Judge Lawlor-the first woman
ever to serve on the Circuit
Court bench in Maryland.
Mr.. Christopher has assumed
the role in this race of destroy
ing what he terms "the myth Of
the sitting judge
They are sitting judges only
because there was a Republican
Governor in Annapolis" he sale
recently.
Mr.. Irelan and Mr.. Christie
pher have termed the Gov
ernor's appointments as in
term" or temporary"
Procedure Cited
Judge Lawlor however, note
that an appointee does not have
to run for election until aftel
serving a full year.
I'm my opinion this procedure
was established to give people
the opportunity to see how ar
incumbent judge performs. sh,
says.
The candidates-all six--havt
been availing themselves of every
opportunity at coffee hours, teas
church suppers, civic meetings
and political rallies to testify or
their own qualifications and Il
describe the court setup in tn.
State.
But it's difficult to say mucl
in the 3 to minutes they allot
us at most meetings one Of tht
candidates said.
Judge Anderson gained promi'
hence as an effective cross
examining prosecutor under thu
Republican reign in the count,
from l947 to 1854.
An attorney he also was a
banker and farmer. He wa!
president of Montgomery County
National Bank and operated tht
420-acre farm outside Rockville
his family has owned since 1854
MIR. Christopher is a forme
acting States attorney and TO-
four years was trial inagisIrat,
in Bethesda. He was one of tn,
five attorneys recommended TO
appointment by the bar asso
citation to succeed Judge Wood
ward.
Mr.. Clark, a long time Repub
lican wheel-horse. served as
trial magistrate in Rockville ant
as a delegate to the Marylan,
General Assembly. de now hold
a McKeldin appointment to
$6,000-a-year post oil the Stat
Industrial Accident Commission
Mr.. Irelan. county attorne,
since the Democrats took owe
In 1854, lost his bid for the Dem
ocratic congressional rominatiol
in that year by only 433 votes.
He gained prominence il
Washington during the Trumal