GOVERNOR O’MALLEY APPOINTS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE Distinguished Prosecutor Selected to Serve on the Harford City District Court


ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 14, 2008) – Governor Martin O’Malley today appointed Harford County resident Susan Hower Hazlett to serve on the Harford County District Court.

“I am happy to appoint a statewide leader in the prosecution of child abuse and sex offense cases to serve on the bench in Harford County,” said Governor O’Malley.  “Ms. Hazlett has dedicated her entire career to public service and I am confident that she will be an outstanding addition to the bench.”

Ms. Hazlett has been a prosecutor for her entire 20-year career.  Currently, she serves as the Senior Trial Attorney in the Child Abuse/Sex Offense Division of the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she supervises prosecutors, trains prosecutors new to Circuit Court and maintains her own caseload of 25-30 felony cases, including homicides and sex offense cases.  During her tenure at the State’s Attorney’s Office, she has appeared in court almost daily.  She has handled more than 600 child abuse and sex offense cases and over 25 homicides.  In the past five years she has tried approximately 50 cases.  

In addition, Ms. Hazlett helped to draft legislation to create the crime of First Degree Child Abuse.  She testified at General Assembly hearings in support of the bill, which became law in 2005.  Ms. Hazlett routinely conducts statewide trainings about child abuse and sexual abuse cases for prosecutors, police officers, social workers, and nurses.  These trainings include the “Finding Words Maryland” program – which covers preparing child witnesses for court, expert witness testimony, and hearsay admissibility – as well as police in-service trainings and trainings at local hospitals for new sexual assault nurse examiner students.

Ms. Hazlett is the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association designee to the State Council on Child Abuse and Neglect.  She is also a member of the Franklin Square Hospital Child Protection Team and the Baltimore County Child Protection Panel.  Ms. Hazlett is the Chair of the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association Child Abuse Subcommittee.   

A resident of Baldwin, Maryland, Ms. Hazlett is co-chair of the Glen Elyn Community Association Children’s Activities Committee and an official in the Harford Swim League Stroke and Turn.  She received a Special Recognition Award from the Maryland Children’s Alliance in 2004.