Governor Moore Announces Five Judicial Appointments for Prince George's and Harford Counties

“These five appointees have already proven their fidelity to the rule of law through illustrious careers in public service. We look forward to seeing how they build on that legacy through these new roles on the bench,” said Gov. Moore. “In Maryland, we remain deeply committed to realizing the promise of equal justice for all. And I am confident that each of these five exemplary public servants will move us closer to that noble ideal.”

Governor Moore’s five appointees include:

The Honorable Stacey Cobb Smith was appointed to the Prince George’s County District Court in 2020. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Cobb Smith was a prosecutor with the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for her entire 12-year legal career, serving for four years as chief of the major crimes unit.

Judge Cobb Smith received her law degree from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.

The Honorable Donnaka Varner Lewis has served as an associate judge for the Prince George’s County District Court since 2016. Prior to her appointment to the district court, Judge Lewis served 12 years as an assistant state’s attorney for Prince George’s County. As an assistant state’s attorney, Judge Lewis was also chief of the office’s district court division, where she supervised 14 attorneys who prosecuted misdemeanor cases in district court. 

Judge Lewis received her law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She is also a graduate of American University, where she received her master’s degree in psychology, and Hampton University, where she received her undergraduate degree.

Sherrie Waldrup is currently the chief of both the homicide unit and the strategic investigations unit in the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she has spent the majority of her career. She began as an assistant state’s attorney in the district court division in 2008 and has been a homicide prosecutor for the past nine years. Immediately after graduating from law school, Waldrup worked for the civil division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She has also served as an associate county attorney with the litigation division of the Prince George’s County Office of Law. 

Waldrup is a graduate of Duke University and the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri.

Melissa Pryce has been a public defender for most of her 18-year legal career. In October 2021, Pryce became the first Black district public defender for Prince George’s County after serving as the deputy district public defender for two years. Prior to serving as deputy district public defender, Pryce was a supervising attorney in the felony trial unit and was designated as one of six homicide attorneys. Before joining the public defender’s office, Pryce spent three years as an associate with Largo-based law firm Henry & Associates.

Pryce earned her law degree from the Howard University School of Law and earned her undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida. 

Donald Walter, Jr. has served as counsel to the National Security Agency for the past two years. As an attorney in the National Security Agency General Counsel’s Office, he handled criminal and civil litigation. Prior to joining the National Security Agency, Walter spent his career as a prosecutor working in both Baltimore City and Harford County, spending six years as chief of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office Juvenile Division. As a prosecutor, Walter served in Harford County for seven years in both the district and circuit court divisions, and in Baltimore City for two years. 

Walter has also served in the Maryland Army National Guard for more than 14 years, including assignments as a Platoon Leader in the 1-175th Infantry, platoon trainer in the Maryland Officer Candidate School Program, company commander of the 253rd Engineer Company (Sapper), and air and missile defense chief of the 291st Theater Liaison Detachment.

Walter received his law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. He also earned a Master of Science in cyber security policy and management from the University of Maryland and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Hampden-Sydney College.