Gov. Wes Moore signs privacy protections for Maryland judges into law

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC News Now) — Maryland judges can now remove their personal information from the internet.

Gov. Wes Moore made it official last week when he signed into law a bill that shields the online home address and other personal contact information for judges in Maryland.

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The new law is the result of a Hagerstown judge being gunned down outside his home.

Last October Judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot outside his home just hours after granting child custody in a divorce proceeding to the wife of Pedro Argote.

“The governor signed this to protect that personal information,” Washington County Sheriff, Brian Albert, said.

Sheriff Albert helped lead the weeklong manhunt for Argote, who was found dead in a field in Williamsport, Md.

“We’re going to take every step that we can to prevent something like this happening again,” Albert said.

After the shooting Gov. Moore spent time comforting the family of Judge Wilkinson. His widow, Stephanie, says the governor, was an inspiration for the new law.

“Honestly,” Moore said. “This would not have gotten done without the widow of Judge Wilkinson and I have such deep love and respect and admiration for her that she was able to take pain and really turn it into purpose.”

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The new state law is modeled after a federal plan following the attempted shooting of a New Jersey U.S. District judge in 2020.

“We need to make sure,” Gov. Moore said. “That people who raise their hands to serve us, that we are protecting them as much as possible.”

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