Moving up the bench?

Calling all Court of Appeals denizens, enthusiasts and groupies: at 4:30 today, we’ll be one step closer to a new judge.

That’s the deadline for applications to fill the Court of Appeals seat vacated by Judge Alan M. Wilner when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 in January.

The big question is, who will take on Court of Special Appeals Chief Judge Joseph F. Murphy Jr.? Murphy, though at 63 a little older than governors prefer their nominees to be, is well-respected and considered by some to be the cerebral Wilner’s heir apparent.

-CARYN TAMBER, Daily Record Legal Affairs Writer