ANNAPOLIS, MD – Supreme Court of Maryland Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader has named Judge Joseph M. Stanalonis as county administrative judge for the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County. The designation of Judge Stanalonis is effective November 20, 2024. Judge Stanalonis has been serving as the acting county administrative judge since the passing of County Administrative Judge Michael J. Stamm on October 2, 2024. 

County administrative judges oversee the administration of the court, budget, and procurement functions and manage trial calendars to ensure the expeditious disposition of cases.

“I am pleased to appoint Judge Stanalonis to assume this important leadership role. His steadfast commitment to the Judiciary’s mission of providing fair, effective, and efficient justice for all, along with his experience before and during his tenure as a judge, position him well to succeed Judge Stamm and continue to advance the administration of justice,” said Supreme Court of Maryland Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader. “Judge Stanalonis is connected within his community, and I know he’ll be an effective leader in St. Mary’s County.”

Judge Stanalonis was appointed to the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County, Seventh Judicial Circuit (Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s, and St. Mary’s counties), by then-Governor Larry Hogan in December 2018, and sworn in January 11, 2019. He currently serves as the presiding judge for the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County’s Adult Substance Abuse Recovery Court and is a member of the Maryland Judiciary’s Judicial Council Equal Justice Committee. Judge Stanalonis is also chair of the Equal Justice Committee’s Sentencing Subcommittee. In addition, he serves on the Specialty Courts and Dockets Committee and the Problem-Solving Courts subcommittee.

“Due to his exemplary legal career as a judge and attorney, I firmly believe that Judge Stanalonis will effectively lead the St. Mary’s County Circuit Court as administrative judge,” said Judge DaNeeka Varner Cotton, Administrative Judge of the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, and the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Maryland. “His commitment to the pursuit of justice, public service, and the expedient resolution of cases will ensure the citizens in St. Mary’s County continue to receive comprehensive and impartial judicial services.”

Prior to his appointment on the bench, Judge Stanalonis served as a prosecutor in the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office from 1996 until 2019. During his time in the prosecutor’s office, he served in a leadership role overseeing each of the various departments of the office, including Juvenile, Child Support, Special Victims, and the District Court. He also served as the chief of staff before serving as the deputy state’s attorney. In his roles at the State’s Attorney’s Office, he also assisted with the creation of the St. Mary’s County Juvenile Drug Court program, the St. Mary’s County Adult Recovery Court program, and the St. Mary’s County Child Advocacy Center, which was established to provide a safe environment for child victims of abuse. Additionally, he oversaw the State’s Attorney’s Office’s annual Project Graduation program for a substance-free alternative on graduation night for high school graduates.

“I am honored and humbled by Chief Justice Fader’s and Judge Cotton’s confidence in me to be selected as county administrative judge,” said Judge Stanalonis. “I have had the privilege and opportunity to work with Judge Stamm over the past six years, and I will do my best to continue the longstanding tradition of public service and dedication to our community by those judges who served before me and with me, ensuring that the citizens of St. Mary’s County have a court that provides fair, effective, and efficient justice for all.”

Judge Stanalonis earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in 1993 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1996. He was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1996 and is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association and the St. Mary's County Bar Association, where he served as a past president and treasurer.