Judge Robert A. Cohen is running to be elected as a judge on the Circuit Court for Baltimore County. A prosecutor and defense attorney, he is lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he serves as a military judge.
Judge Cohen is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and the Emory University School of Law. He also has a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa.
A longtime Baltimore County resident, Judge Cohen and wife, Kerri Bloom Cohen, have two children, live in Pikesville and are Beth El congregants.
Jmore: Why should you be elected a judge on the Circuit Court for Baltimore County?
Judge Cohen: A good judge must be dedicated to service, have knowledge of the law, wisdom about human nature and the courage to do what is right, even if it may be unpopular. My career can be defined by my commitment to public service. I have spent over 25 years dedicated to helping our community as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. In addition, I have been a member of the United States Army Reserve for over 22 years, where I have been twice selected to serve our nation as a military trial judge.
These experiences have made me uniquely qualified and prepared for the challenges of being a judge in Baltimore County. I possess expertise in courtroom procedures, unquestioned integrity, and demonstrated judicial temperament and demeanor. I treat everyone with dignity and respect, and always patiently listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision.
Do Jewish values influence your life?
The Jewish value of tikkun olam [repairing the world] defines my values and commitment to improving our community through the fair and equal application of the law. I believe we have an obligation to making the world a better place, not only for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren. For me, this means acting with integrity, fixing injustices and exercising compassion.
What makes a good judge?
Serving as a judge is a privilege and requires someone who is responsible and cares for the entire community. There is no place on the bench for a judge who acts in a cruel, callous or disrespectful manner, who demeans or belittles people or who allows anger or frustration to interfere with the fair administration of justice.
That does not mean that judges should act cold or without feelings. On the contrary, judges need to exercise compassion and empathy to those that appear before them, appreciate and understand human frailties, and recognize the pain and suffering that often accompany court proceedings.
How can lay people be expected to determine who would best serve the Circuit Court as a judge?
Voters need to be informed about the experience and qualifications of the competing candidates and then make informed choices. To make this process more transparent, I have posted my qualifications on my website.
There are two methods for becoming a Circuit Court judge. First, when there is a vacancy on the court due to retirement or the creation of a new position, qualified attorneys can submit an application. That application is presented to numerous special interest bar associations for their input and also to a politically-appointed local Judicial Nominating Commission. This commission then makes recommendations to the governor, who in turn makes the decision on who is chosen.
In order to be retained, Maryland requires Circuit Court judges to run in the next general election following their appointment. Judicial terms last 15 years. In Baltimore County during this election cycle, there are two judges [Judge C. Carey Deeley Jr. and Judge Dennis M. Robinson Jr.] seeking to be retained for the first time and two [Judge Michael Finifter and Judge Ruth A. Jakubowski] seeking to be retained for the second time.
The second method for becoming a Circuit Court judge, which is the method I am pursuing, is for a highly qualified attorney to run for election and defeat a judge who is seeking to be retained. The fundamental problem with the first method, which of course the appointed judges prefer, is that it awards an applicant’s political connections – who you know in Annapolis, what clubs you belong to, whether you belong to the “old boy’s” network – over actual qualifications to serve.
In my case, I am not a member of a private club, I do not rub elbows with political bigwigs in Annapolis and I am not part of the “old boy’s” network. I am running because I am the most qualified person for the job.
When issuing verdicts, to what extent do you consider the family background, economic conditions and education of a defendant?
Judges should be vigilant in applying the law fairly and without bias. This requires a recognition and understanding of the detrimental impact that unjust laws and unequal treatment have on many members of society. All of us are persons of equal dignity and should be treated equally before the law.
To paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, there can be no equal justice where the kind of trial a person gets depends on the amount of money they have, their gender, their race, their sexual orientation, or their educational level.
For information, visit rcohen4judge.org.
Peter Arnold is an Olney, Md.-based freelance writer.
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