WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Monday announced that he will nominate Thomas Pedersen to serve as Court of Common Pleas Judge in Sussex County, and Candace Holmes to serve as Family Court Commissioner in Kent County. Governor Carney also will renominate Family Court Judge Mardi Pyott to serve an additional term in Kent County and Family Court Commissioner Francis Mieczkowski to serve an additional term in New Castle County. The Governor’s nominations will be submitted to the Delaware State Senate for consideration.

“We are fortunate to have such qualified nominees who have the experience and judgment necessary to serve as part of Delaware’s world-class judiciary,” said Governor Carney. “I want to thank our new nominees and our existing Judge and Commissioner for their willingness to serve the State of Delaware through our court system. I look forward to the Senate considering these nominations.”

Pedersen will be nominated to serve as Court of Common Pleas Judge in Sussex County. That position is open due to the retirement of the Honorable Kenneth Clark, Jr. Pedersen is a solo practitioner in Georgetown, where he has focused on criminal defense. He earned his undergraduate degree from West Chester University and his law degree from Widener University School of Law. Early in his career, he worked as a prosecutor in the Criminal Division of the Delaware Department of Justice, where he was primarily assigned to the Rape Response Unit. He has spent the last 23 years in private practice as well as working as a conflict attorney, representing criminal cases with the Office of the Public Defender. He has volunteered as a panelist with the Delaware State Bar Association Bench and Bar Conference, was court appointed to serve as court liaison to the Sussex County Superior Court and was appointed as a member of the Sussex County Criminal Advisory Committee.

Holmes will be nominated to serve as Family Court Commissioner in Kent County. That position is open due to the upcoming retirement of the Honorable David Jones. Holmes practices family law in Dover with Schmittinger & Rodriguez, where she represents clients in divorce and related matters, prenuptial agreements, guardianship and permanent guardianship, protection from abuse and third-party visitation cases. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Delaware and her Juris Doctor from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. Prior to becoming a family law attorney, she was a Deputy Attorney General with the Family Division of the Delaware Department of Justice from November 2020 to March 2023. She serves as a membership chair for the Terry-Carey American Inn of Court and is a member of the Delaware State Bar Association, the Randy J. Holland Delaware Workers’ Compensation American Inn of Court, the Kent County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.

Pyott will be renominated to serve an additional term as a Family Court Judge in Kent County. She has served as a Judge in that court since March 2000. She was a partner with Schmittinger & Rodriquez from January 1990 to March 2000. She earned her Juris Doctor at the Delaware Law School of Widener University and her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Delaware.

Mieczkowski will be renominated to serve as a Family Court Commissioner in New Castle County. He has served as a Commissioner in that court since 2020. Previously, he was a Deputy Attorney General with the Delaware Department of Justice from 2012 to 2020, where he served as assistant unit head of the Juvenile Delinquency Unit from 2016-2020. He received his Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law, and his Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware.

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