Background

Judge Steven I. Platt presided over one of Maryland’s trial courts for nearly three decades (Orphan’s Court, 1978-1986; District Court, 1986-1990; Circuit Court, 1990-2007).

Judge Platt has been a member of the Delta Theta Phi National Legal Fraternity, since 1974 and the American Bar Association, since 1976. He was a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America , from 1975 to 1986, and the National Conference of Bar Presidents from 1987 to 1989. He has been a Legal Specialist for the ABA Central and East European Law Initiative, since 1998. He was a member of the Judicial Advisory Board of the American Enterprise Institute- Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies Judicial Education Program, from 2004-2007. He has served as President of the American College of Business Court Judges. Judge Platt is a member of The Baltimore Council of Foreign Affairs. Judge Platt is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a Life Fellow of the Maryland Bar Foundation. He has been a member of the Maryland State Bar Association since 1976 and is a Faculty member for its course “Professionalism.” He has served as a Consultant to the Court of Appeals of Maryland Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, Special Subcommittees on Alternative Dispute Resolution, General Administration, and Electronic Discovery. Since 1986, he has been a member of the MSBA Litigation Section and has served on the MSBA Committee on Laws. He served on the MSBA Board of Governors, from 1988 to 1990, and the MSBA Section Council, Section of Judicial Administration, from 1989-1998 (Member, 1989-1996; Chair, 1996-1998). In 1990, he served on the MSBA Special Committee on Governance. In 1991, he was a member of the Attorney General’s Advisory Council on the Family Law Legal Needs of Low-Income Persons. From 1995 to 1997, he served as Co-Chair of the MSBA Special Committee to Study Methods of Initiating Criminal Process in Maryland. He served as Vice Chair of the Business and Technology Division Task Force, created by the Maryland General Assembly, which issued its Report in 2000. He also served as Chair of the Conference of Circuit Judges Business Technology Case Management Program Designated Judges from 2001 until his retirement in 2007.

Judge Platt has been a member of the Prince George’s County Bar Association, since 1976, and is a Past President. From 1977-1978, he served as a chair of the Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission and has been a Mentor for its Leadership Development Forum, since 1986. From 1977 to 1979, he was a member of the Adoption Advisory Committee for the Price George’s County Department of Social Services. In 1981, he served as a Chair of the Prince George’s County Council Labor Law Revision Task Force. From 1987 to 1989, he served as First Chair and Initial Convener of the “Prince George’s County Domestic Violence Coordinating Group,” the first organization in Maryland created to coordinate activities of all three branches of government and public agencies and coordinate activities of all three branches of government and public agencies and groups to share information and combat domestic violence. From 1988 to 1989, he served on the Board of Trustees of the Montgomery –Prince George’s Continuing Legal Education Institute. From 1988 to 1990, he served on the Board of Directors of the Prince George’s Law Library Educational Fund, Inc. He has been a Master of the Bench of the Marlboro Inns of Court, since 1988, and has served as its Administrator (1990-1991), Treasurer/Counselor (1991-1992), and President (1992-1994). He has been a Charter and Lifetime Fellow of the Law Foundation of Prince George’s County, since 1991, and served on its Board of Directors, from 1995 to 1997. From 1997 to 2001 he was a Member of the Prince George’s County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

Judge Platt served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Ernest A. Loveless, Jr., Administrative and Chief Judge of the Seventh Circuit, from 1973 to 1975, and as Administrative and Legal Assistant to then-State Senator, now Congressman and Majority Leader, Steny H. Hoyer, from 1971 to 1973. He currently is an Adjunct Professor at The University of Maryland, Legal Studies Department, and an Instructor at the Prince George’s County Police Criminal Justice Training Center.