Governor Moore Announces Judicial Appointments to Anne Arundel County, Allegany County, Charles County District Courts

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointments of Brian Anthony Marsh and Windy Rhea Ortega to the District Court for Anne Arundel County; Jessica Lynne Colwell to the District Court for Allegany County; and Elizabeth Dorothy Theobalds to the District Court for Charles County. 

“It is an honor to appoint these talented public servants to Anne Arundel County, Allegany County, and Charles County,” said Gov. Moore. “These legal professionals bring with them invaluable experience and dedication to the advancement of justice under the law, as they continue to serve our state.” 

Brian Anthony Marsh 

Brian Anthony Marsh serves as the Deputy State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County. Prior to becoming Deputy State’s Attorney, Marsh worked as an Assistant Attorney General for Maryland in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit where he led complex civil and criminal investigations. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, he served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Baltimore City Special Victim’s Unit where he prosecuted cases involving human trafficking, sexual offenses and technology-facilitated crimes against children. Marsh clerked for the Honorable David Boynton in the Montgomery County Circuit Court.

Marsh received his law degree from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.

Windy Rhea Ortega 

Windy Rhea Ortega is a practitioner at her own firm, Ortega Law, LLC where she represents clients in a wide variety of litigation and routinely advocates for adult and juvenile clients across Maryland’s District, Circuit and Juvenile Courts. Previously, Ortega served as Of Counsel for Parker, Pallett, Slezak & Russell, LLC where she litigated personal injury and wrongful death suits. She is highly skilled in constitutional and evidentiary litigation, frequently drafting and arguing complex pretrial issues such as Fourth Amendment suppression motions and Franks hearings to challenge unlawful police searches and seizures. 

Ortega received her law degree from the Charlotte School of Law.

Jessica Lynne Colwell

Jessica Lynne Colwell has been a public defender for twenty-five years. For the past five years she has served as the District Public Defender for Allegany and Garrett Counties. Colwell began her career as a civil litigation associate but left private practice to pursue a career in criminal law. Her career as a public defender began in Baltimore City where she worked for fifteen years, twelve of which were spent in the Felony Trial Division in Baltimore City Circuit Court. She later worked as the supervising attorney in the Garrett County Public Defender's Office, before becoming the Deputy District Public Defender for Allegany and Garrett Counties  in 2018 and the District Public Defender in 2021.

Colwell received her law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Elizabeth Dorothy Theobalds 

Elizabeth Dorothy Theobalds began her career as an attorney with the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office where she handled criminal matters and supervised the Child Support Division. When she joined the County Attorney’s Office in 2008 as the Assistant County Attorney, Theobalds was the lead prosecutor for the Charles County Department of Social Services in Child in Need of Assistance and Foster Care cases. Theobalds has served as the Deputy County Attorney for Charles County from 2011 to the present where she has continued her practice in land use, zoning and local government law. She has been an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, University College and the College of Southern Maryland.

Theobalds received her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore, Robert G. Merrick School of Business.

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