ANNAPOLIS, Md. – On November 15, 2024, during a meeting of the Supreme Court of Maryland’s Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules Committee”), Judge Alan M. Wilner, the longtime chair of the committee, announced his retirement. Judge Wilner, who has served 28 years on the Rules Committee, with 27 of those as its chair, has been involved with the committee’s work continuously since 1985. In honor of his service, the Supreme Court has given Judge Wilner the honorary title of Chair Emeritus of the Rules Committee.

The Supreme Court of Maryland has appointed Judge Yvette M. Bryant as chair of the Rules Committee effective November 19, 2024.

The Rules Committee proposes rules that set out the practices, procedures, and the judicial administration of the courts. Proposed rules are then presented for consideration by the Supreme Court of Maryland, which adopts changes by a majority vote of the sitting justices.

“Judge Wilner has led a life of service that very few can match. We in the Maryland Judiciary have been the very happy and fortunate beneficiaries of a very large portion of that service,” said Supreme Court of Maryland Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader. “Over the course of his career, in addition to his extraordinary service as a jurist, he served on and led many committees that have been dedicated to improving the law and especially improving the way the law works for disadvantaged people and communities. His service on the Rules Committee will certainly be among his most impactful and lasting contributions.”

Judge Wilner has provided extraordinary service to the Maryland Judiciary and to Maryland law, leading the way on numerous initiatives including the development of rules to facilitate management of litigation; codification of the Maryland Rules of Evidence, Title 5 of the Maryland Rules; development of state-wide rules for greater uniformity in the probate process, Title 6 of the Maryland Rules; revision of rules pertaining to pre-trial release; revision of adoption Rules, Title 9, Chapter 100; reorganization and revision of rules governing procedures in the juvenile court, Title 11; development of rules governing access to judicial records, Title 16, Chapter 900; revision of procedures pertaining to attorney and judicial disabilities and discipline; development of Rules to implement Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC), Title 20; and the development of rules pertaining to remote participation in judicial proceedings, Title 21.

“I have had the privilege and the pleasure of serving on this committee for at least 28 years. I have enjoyed it, not just the interesting and creative work, but the intelligence, dedication, and the friendship of the members of the committee and of the staff of the committee,” said Judge Alan M. Wilner. “This has been a special group of people that have served the state well, and they will continue doing so for many more years. Additionally, I am pleased that Judge Bryant is taking up the mantle and confident that she will make invaluable contributions.”

Judge Wilner served on the Maryland Court of Appeals, Second Appellate Judicial Circuit (Baltimore County and Harford County) from 1996 to 2007, as chief judge of the Court of Special Appeals from 1990 to 1996, and as judge-at-large on the Court of Special Appeals from 1977 to 1990. Judge Wilner has also served as senior judge since 2007.

In addition to serving as Rules Committee chair, Judge Wilner has served as a member of numerous judicial committees and work groups over the years, including most recently as a member of the Maryland Judiciary’s Judicial Council Major Projects Committee since 2021, chair of the legislative review work group of the Judicial Council’s Court Operations Committee since 2015, and as a member of the former Work Group on the Professionalism Course and the Professionalism Center in 2015.

Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Wilner served as an assistant attorney general of Maryland from 1965 to 1968, chief legislative officer for Governor Marvin Mandel, as well as an associate at Sherbow, Shea & Doyle and Venable, Baetjer & Howard. Judge Wilner attended Baltimore City College, The Johns Hopkins University (AB, MLA), and earned a juris doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law. His honors include the Professional Legal Excellence Award for Advancement of Professional Competence by the Maryland Bar Foundation, one of the Daily Record’s Influential Marylanders, as well as an Honorary Membership in the Order of the Coif.

“I am both honored and humbled by the Supreme Court’s decision to appoint me to chair the Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure. I congratulate Judge Wilner on his nearly three decades of leadership and can only hope to carry on his tradition of the pursuit of excellence,” said Judge Yvette M. Bryant, Circuit Court for Baltimore City. “It has been a tremendous pleasure to work alongside and learn from a living legend. I will remain mindful of the critical work of the Rules Committee, and work diligently to follow the rule of law, for the benefit of all.”

Judge Bryant was appointed to serve on the bench of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Eighth Judicial Circuit, in 2006. Judge Bryant was the judge-in-charge of the Family Division from 2009 to 2017, and currently presides over the Adult Drug Treatment Court. Additionally, she regularly serves as faculty for the Maryland Judicial College, providing best practices training to other Maryland judges. Judge Bryant has been a member of the Maryland Judiciary’s Judicial Council Legislative Committee since 2021, and a member of the Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure since 2015.

Prior to her appointment to the circuit court, Judge Bryant practiced civil defense litigation. She served as an associate at several law firms, including Allen, Thieblot & Alexander from 1986 to 1989, Allen, Johnson, Alexander & Karp, P.A. from 1989 to 1990, Semmes, Bowen & Semmes from 1990 to 1994, and Allen, Johnson, Alexander & Karp from 1994 to 1995. She was a principal at Allen, Johnson, Alexander & Karp, P.A. from 1996 to 2001, Allen, Karpinski, Bryant & Karp, P.A. from 2002 to 2006, and Bryant, Karpinski, Colaresi & Karp, P.A. until her appointment to the bench in 2006.

Judge Bryant, a lifelong Baltimore City resident, attended Western High School and Towson University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration. She earned a juris doctorate from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in 1986 and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in December 1986 and the District of Columbia Bar in 1989.

For more than a decade, Judge Bryant assisted Baltimore City students by serving as a voluntary truancy court judge through the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children, and the Courts at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Maryland State Bar Association, the Baltimore City Bar Association, and the Alliance of Black Women Attorneys.