Maryland Evidence Handbook

Joseph F. Murphy, Jr.: Judge Murphy graduated from the University of Maryland Law School in 1969, and became a member of the Maryland Bar in December of that year. From 1970 to 1975, Judge Murphy was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, and from 1975 to 1976, he was the Deputy State’s Attorney. From 1976 to 1984, he was in private practice, specializing in the defense of criminal cases. In 1984, he was elected President of the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association.

In 1984, Judge Murphy was appointed to the Circuit Court for Baltimore County. After serving as a trial judge for nine years, he was appointed to the Court of Special Appeals. He was appointed Chief Judge of that Court in 1996, and served in that position until December 17, 2007, when he began serving as a judge of the Court of Appeals. He retired from the Court of Appeals on September 30, 2011.

Judge Murphy has taught Evidence at the University of Baltimore Law School since 1974, and Trial Practice at the University of Maryland Law School since 1981. He is the author of the Maryland Evidence Handbook, the fourth edition of which was published in 2010.

Judge Murphy is the recipient of the MSBA’s 1990 Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, the Maryland Bar Foundation 1994 Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Professional Competence, The Daily Record’s 2003 Top Leadership in Law Award, the St. Thomas More Society’s 2004 Man for All Seasons Award, the University of Baltimore Law School’s 2009 Charles Hamilton Houston Award, the University of Maryland Law School’s 2010 Benjamin L. Cardin Public Service Award, the Maryland Access to Justice Commission’s 2012 Judge of the Year Award, and the Maryland Bar Foundation’s 2012 H. Vernon Eney Award.

Erin C. Murphy: Ms. Murphy’s practice is devoted to zealously defending the rights of clients charged with crimes in state and federal trial and appellate courts.

After serving as a judicial clerk with The Honorable James T. Smith, Circuit Court Judge for Baltimore County for three years, Ms. Murphy became associated with a prominent Baltimore law firm and developed an outstanding reputation in the legal community for her legal writing. Her experience includes litigation of various criminal and civil motions and appellate briefs on behalf of hundreds of clients in state and federal court. She has briefed cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Maryland Court of Special Appeals and numerous trial courts throughout the United States.

Since joining Silverman Thompson, Ms. Murphy has had continued success arguing and briefing appellate cases in both of Maryland's appellate courts. Ms. Murphy is also an adjunct professor at the University Baltimore School of Law where she co-teaches Evidence with her father, Judge Joseph F. Murphy Jr. of the Court of Appeals of Maryland (Ret.).