Meet the Judges

Paul S. Carroll, Chief Judge

Elected to Talbot County Orphans' Court in 2014
Education: Easton High School and Chesapeake College
Forty-nine years with SEARS, owner/operator since 1991
Sold the local SEARS HOMETOWN STORE in 2014
Involved in real estate since 1980; presently a Broker
Served six years with the Maryland National Guard 1966-1972
Community Service: Chamber of Commerce: Awarded the “Small Business of the Year" in 2000; Served on the Economic Development Commission; Mayor's Prayer Breakfast Committee from 1995 to present; Mid-Shore Executive Ministries; Active member of the First Wesleyan Church in Easton, MD and previously served as treasurer and member of the Local Board of Administration; Member of the Lions' Club
Native of Talbot County
Married to Faith for over forty years; two daughters: Elizabeth Olavsrud (Stein) and Katherine; two grandchildren, Lucy and Chase Olavsrud

David J. Wheeler, Associate Judge

A graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Duke University in Business Administration and Anthropology (1975), Judge Wheeler is also a multi-rated instrument pilot, a certified Underwater Diving Instructor with both NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) and PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), and prior to having both knees replaced, was a certified and trained soccer coach and a certified Skiing and Ski Patrol Instructor. As an Automobile Dealer for 14 years (Volvo, Honda, Kia and Nissan franchises), he was the recipient of the Honda President’s Award for Outstanding Performance and held the highest customer satisfaction rating for the entire United States. He was also a member of Volvo Finance’s Select Committee and was honored to serve on the Board of Directors for American Honda Finance.

Mr. Wheeler owned and operated his own consulting company from 1977 to 1996 which provided training and operational management expertise to retail automobile dealerships throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe as well as conducted seminars and training for most major auto manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, Jaguar, Honda, Mercedes Benz, Subaru and Volvo. Published frequently, he was also featured on the cover of Automotive Executive as well as being a speaker for the National Automobile Dealers Association’s (NADA) conventions in San Francisco, New Orleans and Las Vegas. He also conducted numerous seminars and produced training videos for NADA throughout the United States as well as for many State Dealer Associations.

After selling Wheeler Management Associates in 1996, Mr. Wheeler then took charge of Reynolds & Reynolds Consulting Practices Group based in Dayton, Ohio where he combined the firm’s three separate organizational groups into one. That, along with the training and guidance he provided, allowed Reynolds & Reynolds four hundred plus consultants to then utilize their expertise in a concise, integrated approach to the company’s client base of more than 6000 automobile dealerships country wide. At this point in his career, David then retired from consulting and then purchased the former Fuller Automotive Group in Easton, Maryland which he successfully operated for 14 years and allowed him more time to be with his family and friends on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

As a resident of Talbot County, Maryland, David Wheeler has an extensive list of accomplishments. He chaired the Easton High School Tech Committee for 14 years and helped it to incorporate AYES (Automotive Youth Education Systems) which led the Easton High School being selected as the AYES School Program of the year. Through his dealerships he awarded the Teacher of the Year a new car every year to support their success and was also a member of the teacher selection committee. By the way, this program was also done by Mr. Wheeler in Dorchester and Queen Anne counties. A certified Scoutmaster and Webelo’s leader for more than twelve years, (Awarded as Scoutmaster of the Year and inducted into the Boy Scouts ‘Order of the Arrow’), he also was a soccer and lacrosse coach for 6 years. In addition to be a member of numerous civic organizations, David was given the following recognitions for his contributions to the community; Outstanding Business Partnership by the Maryland Department of Education, Recipient of the Golden Apple Award for Community Service by Peter Franchot for the State of Maryland, as well as Talbot County Large Business of the Year. He established and continues to be the driving force behind a yearly new bicycle donation program with the Maryland State Police for their Holiday gift giving service that last year alone provided new bikes for over 300 kids and to date more than 2800 have been given away locally. A sponsor of Easton Little League Baseball, the Town of Easton’s 4^th of July Fireworks, the Title sponsor of the Bay Bridge Walk for 10 years, a sponsor of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and served on the Board of Directors of the Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers.

John F. Hall, Associate Judge

Experience:
• Law Clerk, the Honorable Marvin H. Smith, Maryland Court of Appeals (1969-70)
• General Practice of Law from 1970 to 2012, in Baltimore City (two years) and thereafter, in Talbot County, as a sole practitioner and in various associations and partnerships, lastly, with Ewing, Dietz, Fountain & Kehoe, Easton, such practice including estate planning (preparation of Wills and Trusts) with tax planning where needed, and estate administration, including representation of clients in litigation before the Talbot County Orphans’ Court;
Admissions to practice law:
• Maryland Court of Appeals, 1969 (inactive since 2012)
• U. S. District Court for the District of Maryland, 1972
• U. S. Supreme Court, 1974
Education:
• Queen Anne’s County Public Schools
• Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, B. A.
• New York University School of Law, New York, NY, J. D.
• Continuing legal education throughout his career
Admissions to practice law (inactive since 2012):
• Maryland Court of Appeals
• U. S. District Court for the District of Maryland
• U. S. Supreme Court
Service on administrative agencies

• Talbot County Board of Elections 2015-16

• Talbot County Ethics Commission, 2014 to 2020
• Talbot County Short Term Rental Review Board (2019)
Judge Hall is an active reader of history and current events and is soon due to complete his second three-year term on the Talbot County Historical Society. He is often an unsuccessful fisherman. He is married to Doris R. Hall and maintains his home in Easton.

Page last modified Saturday, January 30, 2021 3:05:50 PM