ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointment of Philip Thomas Cronan to the Talbot County Circuit Court and Claude de Vastey Jones to the Howard County District Court.

“I want to thank Philip Thomas Cronan and Claude de Vastey Jones and for raising their hands to serve in Talbot and Howard counties,” said Gov. Moore. “With many years of experience and strong community ties to the regions they serve, they will both be exceptional leaders on their respective courts.”

Philip Thomas Cronan is a founding principal in the firm of Hollis, Cronan & Fronk, P.A. Cronan has focused his law practice in family law including divorce, custody and child support; criminal defense in both circuit and district courts; minor and serious traffic cases; juvenile cases and general civil litigation. 

Cronan also served as an Assistant State's Attorney for Caroline County, where he handled matters ranging from serious traffic cases to felony and violent drug crimes. He has extensive litigation experience trying numerous cases in the District and Circuit Courts of Maryland and has argued and briefed cases before the Court of Special Appeals. He served as a law clerk for the Honorable William S. Horne, Circuit Court for Talbot County and obtained his J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Claude de Vastey Jones is a litigation attorney with Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr, LLP and has more than twenty five years of legal experience. Prior to joining Carney Kelehan, she served for sixteen years as an Assistant State’s Attorney with the Office of the State’s Attorney for Howard County and was chief of the District Court Division. She also served as the Deputy State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County and taught at the Anne Arundel and Howard County police academies while also providing counsel to law enforcement agencies. 

Earlier in her career, de Vastey Jones served as a law clerk for the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and the Office of Attorney General Department of Juvenile Services. She was also a law clerk to the Honorable Wanda Keyes Heard, Circuit Court for Baltimore City. She obtained her J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.