Judge of the Orphans' Court in Calvert, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• Thomas M. Pelagatti — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Calvert, Maryland

  Thomas M. Pelagatti is a Democratic attorney and politician serving as a Judge of the Orphans' Court for Calvert County, Maryland. Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1981, he holds a B.A. from Mount St. Mary's College and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Pelagatti first served on the Orphans' Court from 1998 to 2002. He returned to the bench in December 2010, serving as Chief Judge from 2010 to 2015 and again beginning in 2023. He also maintains a private legal practice in Prince Frederick, Maryland, and served as Vice-Chair of the Conference of Orphans' Court Judges.

• Rick Piereck — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Calvert, Maryland

  Rick Piereck is an attorney and U.S. Army veteran running as a Democratic candidate for Judge of the Orphans' Court in Calvert County, Maryland. Joining the Army Reserves in high school, he served for nine years and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. Piereck earned his law degree from American University Washington College of Law and a bachelor's degree in Public Administration. He previously served as a prosecutor in the State's Attorney's Offices of Calvert and Prince George's counties before opening his own private law practice in 2018. Active in his community, Piereck has served as a Commissioner for the Housing Authority.

• Leslie M. Downs — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Calvert, Maryland

  Leslie M. Downs is a Republican serving as a Judge of the Orphans' Court in Calvert County, Maryland. First elected to the court in 2002, she held the position of Chief Judge from 2015 to 2023. Downs also served as Secretary of the Maryland Association of Judges of the Orphans' Court. In the private sector, she has been the owner of Calvert Business Machines. A dedicated local leader, she has been a member of the Calvert County Republican Central Committee and the League of Women Voters. Additionally, she chaired the Board of Directors for the Barstow Acres Children's Center. Downs attended Northern Virginia Community College.

• Ted LeBlanc — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Calvert, Maryland

  Theodore P. "Ted" LeBlanc is a Republican candidate running for Judge of the Orphans' Court for Calvert County, Maryland. First elected to the position in November 2014, Judge LeBlanc sits on the court weekly to rule on probate cases. In addition to his judicial role, he has maintained a private legal practice defending criminal and traffic cases in Maryland since 1996. Before becoming an attorney, LeBlanc worked in auto claims for over a decade, advancing to Maryland State Claims Manager. He is a past president of the Calvert County Bar Association and was appointed to the Conference of Orphans' Court Judges in 2016.