# Judge, Appellate Court of Maryland At Large: Dan Friedman (retention, Yes or No for continuance in office)
**In one sentence:** This is a statewide Yes-or-No vote deciding whether Judge Dan Friedman keeps his seat on the Appellate Court of Maryland, the state's second-highest court.

## What a FOR vote does
Vote "Yes" and Judge Friedman is retained for a full 10-year term. If a majority votes "No" (or the vote is tied), the seat becomes vacant and the governor picks a new judge. [1][4]

## What an AGAINST vote does
Vote "No" and Judge Friedman loses his seat. The governor would then appoint a replacement, with Senate consent. No other candidate appears on the ballot. [1][4]

## Strongest case FOR
- Judge Friedman has 12 years on this court, appointed in 2014 by Governor Martin O'Malley and confirmed by the State Senate, and voters kept him in 2016 (about 83% "Yes"). [2][3][5]
- He is active and writing opinions: he wrote opinions in the court in 2025 and 2026, including a reported opinion in a hemp-cultivation case. [5][6][7]
- He brings deep pre-judge experience: the lawyer who defends the state legislature, plus 14 years in the Attorney General's office. [2][8]
- A possible argument: his long service gives the court steady, experienced continuity.

## Strongest case AGAINST
- He was appointed by a Democratic governor, and his pre-judge job represented the General Assembly (itself a legislature), so he comes from one legal background. [2][3]
- A possible argument: in a retention vote no challenger appears, so "No" is the only way for voters to ask that a different judge be chosen.
- The court has 15 judges, so one judge's views rarely decide a case alone; a three-judge panel decides. [9][10]

## If you care most about...
- **Continuity and experience** -> FOR fits, because he has 12 years on this bench and keeps writing opinions. [2][7]
- **A change in who sits on the bench** -> AGAINST fits, because a "No" vote opens the seat for a new appointment. [1][4]
- **Judicial independence** -> FOR fits, because he is non-partisan and answers to no party; his work is decided on the law. [9][10]
- **Legal background you prefer** -> Judge for yourself: he spent his pre-judge career in the Attorney General's office defending the General Assembly. [2][8]

## Who supports and who opposes
The Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) reaffirms its endorsement of all current sitting Maryland judges in the 2026 elections, stating its support rests on their "character, integrity, judicial temperament, and expertise." [11] Named opponents: Not found in sources checked. (The MSBA statement is from the primary-election cycle, so treat it as background, not a confirmed 2026 general-election statement.)

## What we could not verify
- No source found states Judge Friedman's age, so whether the age-70 retirement rule affects him is unverified. [9]
- No source found lists named groups supporting or opposing a "No" vote.
- His party: not applicable — judicial retention is non-partisan; the ballot lists him without a party. [1]

## Confidence
Medium. Official sources (Maryland Manual, State Board of Elections, Maryland courts) confirm his appointment, current role, and the retention rules, but no one publicly argued for or against him in the sources checked, so the "for/against" bullets mix verified facts with labeled reasoning.

## Sources
[1] Maryland Manual on the Line - Appellate Court of Maryland, Appointments by Governor (msa.maryland.gov) - https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/30sp/html/spappoint.html
[2] Maryland Manual on the Line - Daniel A. Friedman, Appellate Court of Maryland Judge (msa.maryland.gov) - https://www.msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/30sp/html/msa16938.html
[3] Ballotpedia - Dan Friedman (ballotpedia.org) - https://ballotpedia.org/Dan_Friedman
[4] Maryland Manual on the Line - Supreme Court of Maryland, Origin & Functions (msa.maryland.gov) - https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/29ap/html/apf.html
[5] Maryland Manual on the Line - Appellate Court of Maryland, Origin & Functions (msa.maryland.gov) - https://2024mdmanual.msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/30sp/html/spf.html
[6] Maryland Courts - 2025 Index of Appellate Court of Maryland Opinions (mdcourts.gov) - https://www.mdcourts.gov/cgi-bin/indexlist.pl?court=cosa&order=bydate&submit=Submit&year=2025
[7] Maryland Courts - Unreported Opinions Index, Appellate Court of Maryland (mdcourts.gov) - https://www.mdcourts.gov/appellate/unreportedopinions/list/202608
[8] Baltimore Sun - O'Malley appoints General Assembly's top lawyer as judge (baltimoresun.com) - https://www.baltimoresun.com/2014/08/26/omalley-appoints-general-assemblys-top-lawyer-as-judge
[9] Maryland Courts - Welcome to the Appellate Court of Maryland (mdcourts.gov) - https://www.mdcourts.gov/acm
[10] Ballotpedia - Maryland intermediate appellate court elections, 2026 (ballotpedia.org) - https://ballotpedia.org/Maryland_intermediate_appellate_court_elections,_2026
[11] Maryland State Bar Association - MSBA Supports Sitting Judges in Maryland's 2026 Primary Election (msba.org) - https://www.msba.org/site/site/content/News-and-Publications/News/General-News/MSBA-Supports-Sitting-Judges-in-Marylands-2026-Primary-Election.aspx