About me
The Honorable Kathleen L. Beckstead - Chief Judge, Wicomico County Circuit Court, 1st Judicial Circuit, since August 7, 2017 (Associate Judge, August 4, 2000 to September 18, 2010, and since October 1, 2015; County Administrative Judge, September 18, 2010 to October 1, 2015). Presiding Judge-in-Charge, Drug Court, 2005-13, 2015-. Designated Member, Business and Technology Court, 1st Judicial Circuit. Member, Drug Treatment Court Commission, 2005-06. Member, Problem-Solving Courts Committee, Maryland Judicial Conference, 2007-09 (drug treatment court oversight committee, 2007-14). Member, Specialty Courts and Dockets Committee, Judicial Council, 2015-.
Master of Domestic and Juvenile Law, Wicomico County Circuit Court, 1996-2000. Member, Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission, 1st Commission District, 1999-; Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council, Wicomico County, 2004-; Delinquency Prevention Board, and Local Management Board, Partnership for Families and Children, Wicomico County, 1999-2000.
Born in Galveston, Texas, July 28, 1961. Villanova University, B.A. (political science), 1983; University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 1987. Admitted to Maryland Bar, 1987. Law clerk to Judge Alfred T. Truitt, Jr., and Judge D. William Simpson, Wicomico County Circuit Court, 1987-88. Associate, Anthenelli & Otway, 1988-94 (partner, 1994-96); Webster & Anderson, 1996. Member, Maryland State Bar Association (family & juvenile law section, 1997-; family & juvenile law section council, 1995-99); Eastern Shore Chapter (founder, 1991; treasurer, 1992; president, 1998), Women's Bar Association of Maryland; Wicomico County Bar Association (vice-president, 1992; president, 1993; secretary, 1994, 1998). Member, National Association of Women Judges, 2001-. Fellow, Maryland Bar Foundation, 2001-. Mentor & coach, The Salisbury School, Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition, 2009-. Member, St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church, Salisbury, Maryland.
