101 West Lombard Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Judge J. Frederick Motz was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1942. Judge Motz obtained his undergraduate degree in 1964, from Wesleyan University. He continued his studies at the University of Virginia School of Law, receiving an LL.B degree in 1967.

Following law school, Judge Motz served as law clerk to the Honorable Judge Harrison L. Winter, U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, from 1967 to 1968. He entered private practice in 1968, joining the law firm of Venable, Baetjer and Howard, where he remained until 1981, except for a two-year period of service (1969 to 1971) as an Assistant United States Attorney. In 1981 Judge Motz was appointed to the position of United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.

Judge Motz continued in this capacity until July 12, 1985, when he was commissioned as United States District Judge, having been nominated by President Reagan on April 23, 1985. On October 21, 1994, Judge Motz became chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. He served in that capacity until October 19, 2001, when his term expired.  Judge Motz took senior status on December 16, 2010.  Judge Motz passed away on October 23, 2023.

Judge Motz was a member of many professional organizations, including the American College of Trial Lawyers; the American Law Institute; the American Bar Association; American Bar Foundation; Baltimore City Bar Association; Maryland Bar Foundation; Maryland State Bar Association; Lawyers Roundtable; and Wednesday Law Club. He served on the board of trustees of Friends School of Baltimore from 1970-77 and 1981-88, and on the advisory board of the Baltimore City Department of Social Services from 1973-81. He was a trustee of The Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Health System. In addition, Judge Motz served as a member of the board of editors of the Manual of Complex Litigation (Fourth).  Judge Motz served on the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation from 2001-2009 and was the Chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on Intercircuit Assignments from 2008-2013.  Judge Motz also served on the Budget Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States.