The Inaugural Eastern Shore Fatherhood and Reentry Conference

Speakers

Keynote Speaker: Melvin James Jews, District Administrative Judge,

District Court of Maryland, District 2, Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, & Worcester Counties,

The Honorable Judge Melvin JJ. Jews was born in raised in Cambridge, Md.

Prior to his appointment to the bench by Governor Martin O’Malley, he mentioned his private law practice in Baltimore and Cambridge, Md. Judge Jews is a sought after, dynamic speaker, known throughout the MidAtlantic region. He created the first Regional Veterans Treatment Court in the state of Maryland.

He presently serves as Administrative Judge for the District Court of Maryland, District 2 (Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties), a position he has held since September 1, 2024. He previously served as Associate Judge for Dorchester County from June 20, 2014, to August 31, 2024. Born in Maryland in 1960, he graduated from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School and earned a B.A. in Government & Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1982, followed by a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1986. He was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1986.

He presently serves as Administrative Judge for the District Court of Maryland, District 2 (Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties), a position he has held since September 1, 2024. He previously served as Associate Judge for Dorchester County from June 20, 2014, to August 31, 2024. Born in Maryland in 1960, he graduated from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School and earned a B.A. in Government & Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1982, followed by a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1986. He was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1986.

He began his legal career as a Staff Attorney with the Legal Aid Bureau (1986-87), then served as Assistant State’s Attorney for Baltimore City (1987-90). He went on to become Senior Solicitor in the Baltimore City Department of Law (1900-95_, followed by Chief of Litigation for the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (1995-2001). From 2001 to 2014, he worked as a sole practitioner.

He has been an active member of numerous professional and civic organizations, including the Dorchester County Bar Association, and the Gloria Richardson Bar Association, where he served on the board of directors and chaired the judicial appointment committee. His committee service includes the Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee (2015-20), Legislative Committee (2018-2021), Equal Justice Committee (2020-22), Maryland Judiciary Strategic Plan Committee (2023), Maryland Electronic Courts Committee (2024), District Court Chief Judge’s Committee (2021-), and the Judicial Council. He has also served with the Commission on African American History and Culture (1991-95), Maryland Volunteer Lawyers, Mid-Shore Council for Pro-Bono Services (as a volunteer attorney), Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence, Mid Shore Community Mediation, Nathan Foundation, and as an advisory board member for the Salvation Army. Additionally, he has contributed as a mentor in the Minority Achievement Program for the Dorchester County Board of Education, and as a member of the Tenants’ Council for the Housing Authority of Cambridge and the Ethics Commission for the City of Cambridge.

In addition to the above, he is licensed to practice law before: all Maryland courts; the United States District Court for Maryland; the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Recently, Judge Jews was selected as a recipient of the Arthur W. Machen, Jr. Award. This award is presented to an attorney or judge who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to increasing access to justice and improving the delivery of civil legal services to low-income Marylanders.

More Speaker Information will be added soon.

The Inaugural Eastern Shore Fatherhood and Reentry Conference will be held at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Intergenerational Center, Cambridge, Maryland on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The Conference Reception will be at The Packing House, Cambridge, MD on the evening of Friday, October 16, 2026.


If you have any questions contact Corey Pack at  responsiblefathers@outlook.com or Tonet Cuffee at tonet@dcsdct.org