Melissa Phinn, a Circuit Court judge in Baltimore, ordered the release of Adnan Syed after overturning Syed’s conviction for the 1999 murder of high school student Hae Min Lee, a case that is now recognised across the United States. It was featured in the hit podcast Serial.

Phinn ruled that the state violated its legal obligation to share evidence that could have bolstered Syed’s defense. She ordered Syed to be placed in home detention with GPS location monitoring.

Also Read: Adnan Syed case, reviewed by Baltimore judge, was once rejected by SCOTUS

Who is Melissa Phinn?

Melissa Phinn was born in Washington DC. She pursued her undergraduate degree in history from Towson University. She later got her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1992.

According to Maryland’s judicial website, Melissa Phinn was admitted to the state’s bar council in 1993, a year after she completed her study of law. Before joining the bar, Melissa Phinn was working as a law clerk for Judge Ellen L. Hollander, who was a part of the 8th Judicial Circuit.

She was later appointed as an Assistant public defender in Baltimore City’s District 1. Melissa Phinn continued to serve in the office till 2002, after which she decided to work for private legal firms.

Melissa Phinn joined the Law Office of Stanley H. Needleman and worked there for nearly two years as an Associate. She later became a solo practitioner in 2004 and continued for over nine years.

Also Read: Adnan Syed walks out of court after decades-old conviction overturned: Watch

In 2014, Melissa Phinn ran for election to the 8th Judicial Circuit. Phinn faced a crowded Democratic primary election that year, competing with judges like Melissa K. Copeland, Philip Senan Jackson, Alfred Nance, Christopher L. Panos, Jeffrey M. Geller, and Julie Rubin. 

She ran unopposed in the general elections in November 2014 and secured one of the seven open seats.