Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• Shuan Butcher — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick, Maryland

  Shuan Butcher is a Democratic candidate for Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick County, Maryland. An Army veteran with over twenty-five years of experience working in the nonprofit sector, he has served as the Communications Manager for Move United since 2017. Dedicated to his community, Butcher has coordinated the Brunswick Veterans Day event for over a decade and serves as co-chair of the Frederick County U.S. 250th Commission. He earned his undergraduate degree from West Virginia University and a Master of Science in Strategic Leadership from Mountain State University. Butcher currently resides in Frederick, Maryland, with his wife, Cindy.

• Lois Jarman — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick, Maryland

  Dr. Lois Jarman is a Democratic candidate for Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick County, Maryland. An educator and community leader, she brings decades of experience to her campaign. Jarman taught world languages in public schools for seventeen years before serving on the Frederick County Board of Education from 2019 to 2020. Currently, she is a faculty member at Shenandoah University, where she earned her doctoral degree. Deeply involved in the Frederick community, Jarman founded 'Another Day,' a non-profit supporting women re-entering society, and previously served as president of Central Maryland PFLAG. She resides in Frederick County.

• Susan Reeder Jessee — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick, Maryland

  Susan Reeder Jessee is a Democratic candidate for Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick County, Maryland. A lifelong resident of the county, Jessee grew up on her family's farm and graduated from Frederick County Public Schools. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and an MBA from Hood College. A former standout student-athlete, she was later inducted into the college's Athletic Hall of Fame for swimming. Her professional career spans over two decades, blending science and business as a project manager and analyst. Continuing her family's legacy of local public service, she has served on the Fire and Rescue Advisory Board.

• Carter Logan Lenz — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick, Maryland

  Carter Logan Lenz is a Democratic candidate running for the office of Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick County, Maryland, participating in the 2026 primary election. He officially filed for the race in February 2026, and his campaign committee is organized under the name Friends of Carter Lenz. Lenz is a recent graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in May 2025 with a minor in Anthropology. Residing in Frederick, Maryland, Lenz seeks one of the available seats on the county's Orphans' Court, a local judicial body that handles probate matters, estate administration, and guardianship cases.

• Rebecca Chmelik — Republican Central Committee in Frederick, Maryland

  Rebecca Chmelik is a Republican candidate for Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick County, Maryland. Raised in North Carolina, she attended public schools before earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Belmont Abbey College and a Master of Science in Cellular and Microbial Biology from the Catholic University of America. She later worked as a research scientist at NIH under a Nobel laureate. A mother of eleven, she transitioned to being a stay-at-home parent and has spent years homeschooling. Chmelik served as a founding board member and curriculum specialist at Sacred Heart Tutorials. She has been married to her husband, Tony, for 35 years.

• Karen Dacey — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick, Maryland

  Karen Dacey is a Republican candidate running for Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick County, Maryland. A dedicated member of the local political community, Dacey has previously served as the vice chair of the Frederick County Republican Central Committee. In this leadership role, her stated motivation has been to work toward unity within the Republican Party and to help get more Republican candidates elected to local office in Frederick County. Over the years, she has actively participated in and worked on several political campaigns. Building on her local grassroots experience, Dacey seeks a judicial role on the Frederick County Orphans' Court.

• Susan W. Wilson — Judge of the Orphans' Court in Frederick, Maryland

  Susan W. Wilson is a Republican politician and current Judge of the Orphans' Court for Frederick County, Maryland, a position she has held since July 2022. Born in Frederick in 1953, Wilson earned a bachelor's degree from James Madison University in 1974 and a Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland in 1978. Her professional career includes serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Wilson Information Services from 1978 to 2020 and as Principal Manager of the Scientific Library at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. She has also served on the New Market Planning Commission and co-owns New Market Plain Vineyards.