J.Bradford McCullough

Age: 58

City/town of residence: Outside of Rockville

Current/previous employers:

  • Associate judge, Montgomery County Circuit Court (2022-present)
  • Commercial litigator and appellate attorney, Lerch, Early & Brewer (1997-2022)
  • Associate, Miles & Stockbridge (1992-1997)
  • Associate and partner, Frank Bernstein Conaway & Goldman (1988-1992)
  • Associate, Beckett, Cromwell & Myers (1984-1988)
  • Clerk, Judge Theodore Bloom of the Appellate Court of Maryland (1983-1984)

Political experience: None

Website: www.electsittingjudgesmcs.com

Email: electjudgejbm@gmail.com

Social media links (Facebook, Instagram, X, etc.): facebook.com/electsittingjudgesmontgomerycounty

Why are you running for office?

I love the law. I love the intellectual challenge of the law. I liked it as a practicing lawyer. I saw it in many ways as problem-solving for people. And as time went by, I thought I would really like to do this, not so much representing a particular person and not being an advocate for a particular person, which I enjoyed, but I liked the idea of administering justice and having some public service and community service. Community service is a big deal for me.

What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?

In the last 15 years of my practice, I focused on doing appellate cases. I can handle all sorts of different cases. I did criminal cases, family law cases, and I did land use cases. And doing that sort of appellate work shows that you’re willing to jump into something that you may not have seen before. And you have to be willing to do that. You have to almost relish it. You have to be comfortable going into something where you may not have seen it before. You have to have the confidence, you have to have the desire to jump in.

What’s the most important issue in this election?

I think the issue is what the issue always is in looking at judicial selection, which is integrity, temperament and really legal abilities and legal experience.

You have to have integrity, obviously. You don’t want people to think you’ve already made up your mind or that you’re going to be dishonest.

Temperament is incredibly important. People have to have faith that you’re listening to them, and that you haven’t pre-judged the case.

[As a lawyer], I did a good job representing my clients, but I did it in a way that was collegial and civil. When you see people who have had that experience as a practicing lawyer, that usually translates really well onto the bench.

Is there anything else you’d like to comment on about this race?

I’ve been very heavily involved in the community. I’ve been involved for about 30 years in one capacity or another with Interfaith Works. It’s probably the largest provider of social services in the county. I was the board chair. I was on the board of directors.

I think that what we’re doing [as judges] is community service, and it’s always been something that’s been important to me.