Eight people have applied for a new Howard County District Court judgeship.

An appointment will give the county five judges to handle a caseload that has skyrocketed in the past few years.

Six of the eight applicants applied for the position yesterday, the deadline set by a 17-member judicial nominating commission, which will submit four to seven names to the governor for appointment. The names of the applicants will be released today.

Some black leaders say there needs to be another minority on the local judiciary.

Last year, Alice Gail Pollard Clark was appointed to the District Court. She is the sole African-American among nine circuit and district judges.

Leaders of the African American Coalition of Howard County say they would like to see Pamila Junette Brown, a black attorney, appointed. It's not known whether she has applied, however.

"We have not changed our position on getting another African-American on the bench," said Sherman Howell, a vice president of the coalition. "One of the things that's important for a judge to do is to be able to understand the community. [Brown] has the knowledge of the community and of the people in the community."

The new position, created under legislation signed by the governor, is effective Oct. 1. But it could take longer to name someone, officials say, depending on the interview process.

Pub Date: 8/28/98