Governor Moore Announces Judicial Appointments to Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Circuit Courts
By PRESS OFFICER
Office of the Governor
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Jan. 13, 2026)—Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointments of the Honorable Victor Manuel Del Pino to the Montgomery County Circuit Court and Joseph C. Ruddy to the Prince George’s County Circuit Court.
“The Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Circuit Courts are gaining two exceptional legal professionals who have dedicated their lives to advancing justice under the law,” said Gov. Moore. “These public servants bring a wealth of legal experience, and I am grateful for their continued service to our state.”
The Honorable Victor Manuel Del Pino
The Honorable Victor Del Pino has served as a district court judge in Montgomery County since 2019. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was a partner with McGann, Del Pino and Hughes, LLC for nine years, where his practice concentrated on criminal, personal injury, and immigration law. Judge Del Pino previously served seven years as a prosecutor in Montgomery County, including two years as the chief of the Gang Prosecution Unit, making him the first Latino to hold that position in the history of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office. He also served two terms on the board of trustees of the Maryland Public Defender’s Office. A lifelong resident of Montgomery County and fluent in Spanish, he has served as an adjunct professor at several institutions and is slated to begin teaching at the Georgetown University School of Law in 2026.
Judge Del Pino earned his law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Joseph Cornelius Ruddy
Joseph Ruddy has served as an attorney with the Prince George’s County Office of Law for the past seven years. He currently serves as the primary legal advisor for the Prince George’s County Police Department, a role he assumed in June 2025. Previously, he spent more than six years as deputy county attorney, where he supervised the county’s government operations division and provided legal guidance to all county agencies, including the Prince George’s County Council. Prior to joining the Prince George’s County Office of Law, Ruddy spent 15 years as a prosecutor in the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office. Earlier in his legal career, Ruddy served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ronald D. Schiff in the Prince George's County Circuit Court. Ruddy has shared his expertise as a course instructor for multiple police departments, covering topics that include the Fourth Amendment and expert testimony.
Ruddy earned his law degree from the Catholic University of America.
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Governor Moore Announces Appointments of Gabriel Moreno, Derrick Coley, and Darrell Odom, Sr. to the Maryland House of Delegates
By PRESS OFFICER
Office of the Governor
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Jan. 12, 2026)—Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointment of Gabriel M. Moreno to District 13; Derrick L. Coley to District 24; and Darrell C. Odom, Sr. to District 27A of the Maryland House of Delegates.
“Gabriel Moreno, Derrick Coley, and Darrell Odom, Sr. will bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to public service to the Maryland House of Delegates,” said Gov. Moore. “Each of these leaders has a proven track record—from empowering vulnerable communities and serving in vital county government roles to protecting our state and nation. These are dedicated public servants, and I am grateful that they each raised their hands to represent their districts in Annapolis.”
Gabriel M. Moreno: District 13 (Howard County)
Gabriel Moreno most recently served as the chief executive officer of the Luminus Network for New Americans, a nonprofit focused on supporting immigrants with their legal needs. In this role, he led strategic initiatives to provide legal services and community resources to immigrants, refugees, and asylees, while overseeing fiscal management and advocacy strategies.
Moreno has also served as a national senior attorney for Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) from 2015 to 2023. During his tenure, he provided direct representation to children affected by family separation policies and mentored hundreds of pro bono attorneys across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. regarding immigration and federal litigation.
Moreno brings deep ties to the community through numerous appointed and elected roles. He currently serves on the Maryland Attorney General’s Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention and the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic and Latin American Community Affairs. Additionally, he is an elected member of the Howard County Democratic Central Committee and serves as a character committee member for the Maryland Judiciary.
Moreno earned his law degree from the Massachusetts School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Maryland, Massachusetts, and before the U.S. Supreme Court. He earned his bachelor’s degrees from the University of Texas at El Paso and Texas A&M University.
Derrick L. Coley: District 24 (Prince George’s County)
Derrick Coley currently serves as deputy director for the Department of Environment for Prince George’s County, a position he has held since January 2025. In this role, he oversees the Animal Services Division, Climate and Energy Division, and legislative affairs, while managing personnel and assisting with the annual budget process. Coley previously served as executive director for external relations with the Maryland Higher Education Commission, and as the special assistant for government relations at Bowie State University.
Coley also brings extensive experience from the Prince George’s County Office of the County Executive, where he served as chief of staff from 2009 to 2010 and deputy chief of staff from 2004 to 2009. In these capacities, he managed daily functions, directed federal appropriation requests, and implemented countywide programs.
Coley earned his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and his master’s degree in international environment policy from American University. He is currently a Doctor of Education candidate at Bowie State University.
Darrell C. Odom, Sr.: District 27A (Prince George’s and Charles counties)
Darrell Odom, Sr. served with the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department from 1980 to 2004, rising through the ranks from firefighter to lieutenant colonel and deputy fire chief. He retired as the department's acting fire chief, where he was responsible for the daily management of the department and the
implementation of the Fire/EMS Paramedic Ambulance program—decreasing response times and effectively dispatching Emergency Medical Paramedics County-wide.
Odom also had a distinguished military career spanning 31 years, including two years in the U.S. Army active duty assigned to Germany, and 29 years in the U.S. Coast Guard active and reserve duty. He retired as a master chief maritime enforcement specialist and served as the reserve command master chief for the Deployable Operations Group. In that role, he managed the activities of more than 1,200 reservists across 27 specialized units.
Odom earned his bachelor’s degree in fire science from the University of Maryland University Global Campus and an associate degree from Prince George’s Community College. He is also a graduate of the National Defense University’s Keystone Command Senior Enlisted Leader Course.
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