Catherine C. Blake

Catherine C. Blake (born 1950) is the Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

Blake was born in Boston, Massachusetts. After receiving an Artium Baccalaureus degree from Radcliffe College in 1972, she enrolled in Harvard Law School, where she received a Juris Doctor in 1975.

Blake was in private practice in Boston, from 1975 to 1977. She was with the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland from 1977 to 1987. During that period, she was an Assistant U.S. attorney from 1977 to 1983, then became a first assistant from 1983 to 1985, when she was appointed by the court to serve as the U.S. Attorney, a position she held until 1987, when she again became the first assistant.

In 1987 Blake became a United States magistrate judge in the District of Maryland.

In 1995 Magistrate Judge Blake became a federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on May 4, 1995, to a seat vacated by John R. Hargrove. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 11, 1995, and received her commission on August 14, 1995. She became Chief Judge of the District of Maryland on October 3, 2014, upon former Chief Judge Deborah K. Chasanow taking senior status.