Carney nominates two new judges in Sussex, one in New Castle
Gov. John Carney announced June 11 his intention to nominate Mark Conner as superior court judge in Sussex County, Monica Horton as judge of the Court of Common Pleas in New Castle County, and Rae Mims as judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Sussex County.
The Delaware Senate is expected to consider the judicial nominations this month.
“Each of the nominees has a unique perspective, as well as the judgment and knowledge necessary to serve Delaware well as members of our world-class judiciary,” Carney said. “I look forward to the Senate considering their nominations.”
Since July 2016, Conner has served as the managing attorney for the Office of Conflicts Counsel for Sussex County within the Office of Defense Services. During his time in this position, he represented criminal defendants in superior court, court of common pleas, family court, and justice of the peace court. Conner has previous experience as a deputy attorney general at the Delaware Department of Justice in both the criminal division and civil division, as well as in the public defender’s office. Between 2007-2016, Conner served as an adjunct professor at Delaware Technical and Community College and Wilmington University, teaching courses on business law and criminal law and procedure.
A graduate of Wilmington Friends School, Conner earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Dickinson College, and his law degree from Widener University School of Law. Conner would replace Judge Scott Bradley, who retired May 1, 2020, on the Superior Court in Sussex County.
Mims, nominated for Sussex County Court of Common Pleas, has worked as a deputy attorney general in the Delaware Department of Justice since 2007. She has represented the Delaware Department of Correction, the state Board of Education, the Delaware State Police, and the Division of Public Health. Mims has overseen criminal adult felony prosecutions in the superior court, and prosecuted misdemeanor cases in the family court, justice of the peace court and court of common pleas. Additionally, Mims has experience in private practice as an associate with Binder & Binder in Philadelphia, and was an assistant district attorney in Bucks County, Pa. Previously, Mims served as an assistant to the city manager of Longmont, Colo., and was an acting regional manager for the Peace Corps in Boston.
Mims earned her bachelor of science degree in journalism from the University of Maryland, a master of public administration in not-for-profit management from Suffolk University, and her law degree from Widener University School of Law. She would replace Judge Rosemary Betts Beauregard, who retired on April 1, 2020, on the Court of Common Pleas in Sussex County.
Nominated for Court of Common Pleas in New Castle County, Horton has served since 2016 as a deputy attorney general in the Delaware Department of Justice, where she is the head of the Health Law Unit in the Civil Division and provides general counsel to the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services. Horton’s public and private legal experience includes serving as an assistant county attorney for New Castle County, as an associate attorney for Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, and as a judicial law clerk for Family Court.
From 2000-2009 and again from 2014-2016, Horton, who is also a registered nurse, attended to obstetrical patients in the labor and delivery department of Christiana Care.
Horton earned a bachelor of arts degree in biology and a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Delaware. Horton earned her law degree from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. She would replace Judge John Welch, who will retire on June 30, 2020, on the Court of Common Pleas in New Castle County.
