Baltimore County prosecutor gets judgeship in Harford

Harford County (Map, News) - A Baltimore County prosecutor had been appointed to the Harford County District Court bench, becoming the third woman to wear a judge’s robes in the county.

Susan Hower Hazlett, senior trial attorney in Baltimore County’s child abuse/sex offense division, was tapped by Gov. Martin O’Malley to fill the District Court seat vacated in December by Judge Angela Eaves’ elevation to the Circuit Court.

“I found out Wednesday morning. I was delighted, to say the least,” Hazlett said.

Hazlett, a resident of Baldwin in western Harford County, has served as a prosecutor since graduating from the University of Baltimore Law School in 1987.

Harford District Court Judge Mimi Cooper, who became the first woman appointed to Harford’s courts in 1999, went through law school in the same class as Hazlett, and said she was looking forward to seeing her again.

“She will be a tremendous asset to our bench,” Cooper said. “She’s very smart and very dedicated to our community.”

Since Eaves left the District Court in December and was elected to a full 15-year term in February, the District Court had been filling the vacancy with retired judges or visiting judges from other counties, Cooper said.

During her 20-year career with Baltimore County, Hazlett handled more than 600 child abuse or sex offense cases, and 25 homicide cases.

She coaches prosecutors, police officers, nurses and social workers on recognizing sexual abuse, and teaches the Office of Crime Control and Prevention’s “Finding Words Maryland” program on preparing child witnesses and experts for testifying in court.

Hazlett said she would likely have to resign from most of her positions since she will no longer be a state’s attorney, though she hoped she could remain active with Finding Words.

She will be sworn in on June 2, and other county prosecutors will take over her cases.

“I hand them off to other members of my office, reluctantly ... I have a drawer full, an entire credenza,” she said.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com