ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointments of Magistrate Kevin R. Hill to the St. Mary’s County Circuit Court and The Honorable Catherine Chen to the Baltimore City Circuit Court.
“The St. Mary’s County and Baltimore City Circuit Courts are gaining two remarkable stewards of the law,”
said Gov. Moore. “These appointees are dedicated public servants, and I am confident that they will continue their work to bring our state ever-closer to the full promise of equal justice for all.”
Magistrate Kevin R. HillMagistrate Kevin R. Hill has spent almost his entire legal career in public service, currently serving as the magistrate for the St. Mary’s County Circuit Court. He previously served as a public defender in Charles, St. Mary’s, and Calvert Counties, representing indigent juveniles and adults in circuit and district courts. In 2016, he was sworn in as an assistant state’s attorney in St. Mary’s County, where he handled civil, misdemeanor, and felony cases, and represented the St. Mary’s County Department of Social Services Child Support Division. Magistrate Hill is also an adjunct associate professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus, where he has taught business, litigation and professional development classes to undergraduate students. Prior to attending law school, Magistrate Hill was the general manager of his family's restaurants in St. Mary's County for over 15 years.
Magistrate Hill earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and his law degree from the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law.
The Honorable Catherine ChenThe Honorable Catherine Chen has been a Baltimore City district court judge since her appointment in 2018. Before her appointment to the district court, Judge Chen spent time in both criminal and civil practices, focusing on serving the disenfranchised and underserved communities. Prior to her appointment, she worked as a prosecutor in the Office of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Special Victims Unit, specializing in prosecuting misdemeanor and felonies resulting from intimate partner violence, child abuse and child pornography. Before joining the Office of the State’s Attorney, Judge Chen worked as a staff attorney at the House of Ruth Domestic Violence Legal Clinic and as a staff attorney at the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center, Inc. where she primarily assisted clients with obtaining peace orders and protective orders.
Judge Chen earned her bachelor’s degree from Tufts University and her law degree from Brooklyn Law School.