Joseph I. Pines
Encyclopedia
Joseph I. Pines was an American lawyer and Judge
on the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City (later re-named the Circuit Court
for Baltimore).
. He earned his law degree from the University of Baltimore
in 1942, 5 years later he changed his name to Joseph I Pines. Pines was admitted to
Maryland Bar in 1943 and was a member, American, Maryland State
and Baltimore City Bar Associations. He was also a member of the American
Trial Lawyers Association.
of first degree murder, and he was sentenced to death by Judge Pines the following month. Pines was a member of the Maryland Judicial Conference and part of the Conference's executive committee.
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
on the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City (later re-named the Circuit Court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
for Baltimore).
Background
Pines, the son of a grocer, was born Joseph I. Pinas in New York City. In 1925, his father moved the family to Baltimore where they settled on East Biddle Street. His father established a grocery store on Orleans Street and later moved to Liberty Heights Avenue in Northwest Baltimore, when he opened a store. Pines was a 1939 graduate of Baltimore City CollegeBaltimore City College
The Baltimore City College , also referred to as The Castle on the Hill, historically as The College, and most commonly City, is a public high school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The City College curriculum includes the International Baccalaureate Programme and emphasizes study in the classics...
. He earned his law degree from the University of Baltimore
University of Baltimore
The University of Baltimore , located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood at 1420 N. Charles Street, is part of the University System of Maryland. Through the Freshman Initiative or Lower Division Initiative, UB has transformed from an upper division university to a...
in 1942, 5 years later he changed his name to Joseph I Pines. Pines was admitted to
Maryland Bar in 1943 and was a member, American, Maryland State
and Baltimore City Bar Associations. He was also a member of the American
Trial Lawyers Association.
Judicial career
Pines was appointed to Supreme Bench of Baltimore City, January 28, 1980 and retired from the Baltimore City Circuit Court, February 19, 1992. He continued to hear cases as a visiting judge through 2001. Pines is described as having a very even-tempered demeanor and was always very fair by Judge Joseph H. H. Kaplan who also said of Pines "I was the administrative judge for a lot of the years he was on the bench, and I never heard one complaint about his mistreating someone." In June 1986, a Baltimore jury convicted Flint Gregory HuntFlint Gregory Hunt
Flint Gregory Hunt was a convicted murderer executed by the State of Maryland in 1997. Hunt shot Baltimore police officer Vincent Adolpho twice in an East Baltimore alley on November 18, 1985 after Adolpho spotted him running from a stolen Cadillac. He was captured five days later at a bus station...
of first degree murder, and he was sentenced to death by Judge Pines the following month. Pines was a member of the Maryland Judicial Conference and part of the Conference's executive committee.