James J. Dietrich is running for a full term as a Maryland 6th Judicial Circuit Court judge serving Montgomery County. The nonpartisan seat is on the ballot in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
The race has five seats to fill, and voters may choose up to five candidates, according to BallotReady election data. Only four candidates are certified for the ballot: Dietrich, Catherine H. McQueen, Sharon V. Burrell and Victor M. Del Pino. With fewer candidates than seats, all four could win without opposition.
Candidate information
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Education: Bachelor of arts, Lemoyne College; juris doctor, Catholic University of America, 1995
- Bar admissions: Maryland, 1995; District of Columbia, 1997
- Memberships: Montgomery County Bar Association; Maryland State Bar Association
Experience and public service
Dietrich served as an assistant state's attorney in Howard County from 1997 to 2018, according to BallotReady profile data. He then served as an assistant state's attorney in Montgomery County from 2018 to 2025.
He joined the 6th Judicial Circuit Court bench in 2025, according to BallotReady, and is listed as a sitting judge in the Maryland Manual On-Line. Dietrich has also served as an adjunct professor at Catholic University of America, according to BallotReady.
This profile was compiled from publicly available records, including the Maryland Manual On-Line and BallotReady.
