Marilyn Bentley Named Clerk of Baltimore City Circuit Court

Marilyn Bentley Named Clerk of Baltimore City Circuit Court

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND (December 8, 2016) ─ Marilyn Bentley has been named as Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, effective immediately.  Bentley, who served as Chief Deputy Clerk from May 2015, fills the vacancy created last month by the death of Clerk Lavinia G. Alexander.  

“Ms. Bentley’s dedication to all who enter our court and nearly 20 years of service within the Circuit Court of Baltimore City will be invaluable as we build on the excellent work of Ms. Alexander,” said Baltimore City Circuit Judge W. Michel Pierson, Administrative Judge for the Eighth Judicial Circuit.  “As Chief Deputy Clerk, Ms. Bentley has the day-to-day, institutional knowledge that will allow us to meet the demands of Maryland’s busiest court.”

The Clerk’s Office of the Baltimore City Circuit Court includes approximately 280 employees and is responsible for receiving, recording, and maintaining more than 1 million records.  The Clerk administers oaths of office to officials, judges, and appointees commissioned by the Governor.  In addition, the Clerk performs civil marriage ceremonies.  Records of proceedings, court orders, pleadings and filings, processing orders and judgments, land and business transactions, adoptions, business licenses, and marriage licenses are among the many records managed by the Clerk’s Office.

“I am grateful for the confidence the judges have shown in me to serve as the Clerk of Court,” said Bentley.  “My time working with judges in the civil division and supporting Ms. Alexander’s efforts have prepared me to carry out our mission to operate with high levels of efficiency and fairness, while upholding the public trust and continually improving access to justice.”

The appointment was made by a vote of the judges of the court, who acted pursuant to the procedures set out by the Maryland Constitution (Article IV, Section 25): “In case of a vacancy in the office of Clerk of a Circuit Court, the Judges of that Court may fill the vacancy until the general election for Delegates to the General Assembly, to be held next thereafter, when a successor shall be elected for the term of four years.”  The next general election will occur in 2018.

Bentley began her career within the Maryland Judiciary in 1991, as an assistant administrator, and previously held positions in state service with the Department of Human Resources and Department of General Services.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Lake Forest College, Illinois, and specializes in court records management and optical disk imaging.

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