The Hon. Marielsa A. Bernard (Ret.) is a senior judge for the Montgomery County Circuit Court in Maryland. Bernard was appointed to the bench by former Governor Parris N. Glendening on March 1, 2002. She retired on July 3, 2017.
She has held assignments on the Commission on Racial & Ethnic Fairness in the Judicial Process, the Public Defender Regional Advisory Board (No. 4), and the Montgomery County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council.
Prior to her appointment, Bernard served as an associate judge for the Montgomery County District Court, a position to which she was named in 1998. Before that, she spent time as a partner at Keiffer, Johnston, Reinstein, Bernard & Heffron (1997 to 1998) as well as a sole practitioner in her own private practice (1987 to 1997).
Bernard earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Loyola College in 1977. She then completed a J.D. at the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 1980.
After graduating from law school, Bernard entered into private practice, working as an associate at Ferretti, Ehrlich & Gordon (1981 to 1984), Tietz & Ferretti (1984 to 1986), and the Law Office of Vincent E. Ferretti, Jr. (1986 to 1987). While in private practice, Bernard performed extensive pro bono work for the East Takoma Park Silver Spring Community Center, the Spanish Catholic Center, and the St. Camillus Parish.
Her memberships have included the Maryland State Bar Association, the Montgomery County Bar Association, the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association (founder), the Women’s Bar Association of Montgomery County, the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association, and the National Association of Women Judges.
She is a recipient of the Jurist Award from the Montgomery County Bar Association (2012), the Inspiring Leader Award from the Family Justice Center (2011), the Leadership Award from the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association (2011), and the Award for Public Service to the Community from the Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association (1995).
Born in Washington, D.C., Bernard attended Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland. She is the daughter of a Peruvian mother and the granddaughter of a Portuguese immigrant from Bermuda.