WASHINGTON – Montgomery County lawyer Roger Titus breezed through a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday on his nomination to be a U.S. district judge for Maryland.
Titus, a partner in charge of the Montgomery County office of the Venable law firm, was praised at the hearing by Maryland Democratic Sens. Paul Sarbanes and Barbara Mikulski.
“He brings the qualities we look for in a district judge,” Sarbanes said. “This is a man of wide experience, breadth and depth, and (he) has the best principles in the legal profession.”
Staffers could not say Wednesday when the Judiciary Committee might vote on Titus’ nomination, which was forwarded by President Bush in June.
Titus — whose experience includes state and local government cases, complex commercial litigation and constitutional litigation — told the committee that, despite being an advocate to his clients as an attorney, he would have no problems assuming the responsibilities of a judge.
“I feel very comfortable with the constraints that are put on judges to make decisions that may not be popular,” Titus said, adding that his personal views would not interfere with his commitment to the law.
Besides serving in private practice, Titus was president of the Maryland State Bar Association from 1988-1989 and was elected member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He has also been a member of the Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Court of Appeals of Maryland for more than 10 years.
Special Appeals Judge Joseph Murphy, chairman of the Rules Committee, said Titus would make an “excellent” judge if confirmed.
“He has the intelligence and the experience,” in both trial and appellate courts, Murphy said. “He has the judicial temperament that you think is ideal for judicial service.”
Judicial competence, high integrity and dedication to constitutional principles are the qualities every judge should have, Mikulski said.
“Mr. Titus meets these tests well and beyond,” she said.
Titus said after the hour-long committee hearing — which included nominees to two other federal judgeships — that he was “very honored that I’ve been nominated.”
“It’s now in the hands of the Senate and I’ll wait their action,” he said.