New judges appointed to Anne Arundel County Circuit, Baltimore District courts

Four new judges were appointed to the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court and Baltimore City District Court last week, according to the governor's office. 

The Honorable Sidney A. Butcher was appointed to the Anne Arundel County Court, and Otis Freeman, Elizabeth López and Noelle W. Newman were appointed to the Baltimore court. 

"The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court and Baltimore City District Court are gaining four exceptional legal minds who have dedicated their careers to upholding the law," Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement. "Their collective experience—from public defense to prosecution and federal service—has prepared them well for the bench." 

Sidney A. Butcher

Butcher was appointed to the Anne Arundel County District Court in 2019, where he has continued to serve as a judge. Before that, Butcher worked as an assistant attorney general in the Medicaid Fraud Unit, according to the governor's office. 

He also served as counsel in a litigation group after a decade as a prosecutor in the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office. 

According to the governor's office, Butcher was also a member of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education and held multiple leadership positions with the Maryland State Bar Association. He earned his law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law. 

Elizabeth López

López spent her entire legal career as a public defender with 15 years of experience at the state level and four years at the federal level. 

She currently serves as felony attorney supervisor for the Office of the Federal Public Defender, where she supervises four felony attorneys and manages a complex caseload, the governor said.

During her role at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, López served as supervising attorney and emerging adult litigation specialist, where she created a statewide model for the defense of children charged as adults. 

Earlier in her career, López represented juveniles and adults in criminal and civil proceedings as an attorney with the Defender Association in Seattle, Washington. 

She earned her law degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law. 

Noelle W. Newman

Since 2022, Newman has served as counsel for Pessen Katz Law's General Litigation Group. Her current practice includes domestic relations matters, along with civil, state and federal criminal defense. 

She spent 15 years at the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office, where she served as deputy state's attorney in 2021. 

Between 2006 and 2021, she served as an assistant state's attorney in district, juvenile and circuit courts, handling misdemeanor and felony cases. She earned her degree from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. 

Otis W. Freeman

Freeman has served as assistant chief counsel in the Baltimore Office of the Principal Legal Advisor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security since 2022, according to the governor's office. 

Before that, Freeman served as assistant attorney general representing the uninsured employers fund in workers' compensation hearings and advised in various criminal and civil areas. 

For seven years, he also served as assistant state's attorney in Baltimore, and began his legal career as a law clerk for the homicide unit in the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.

Freeman earned his law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.