Judge Piper F. McKeithen
Judge McKeithen was born in Annapolis, Maryland, and reared in Baltimore City. She attended Baltimore City Schools, graduating from Baltimore City College High School in 1992. Judge McKeithen received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in 1996. She received her law degree in 1999 from The George Washington University National Law Center.
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Judge McKeithen began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Lee F. Satterfield and the Honorable Thomas J. Motley, Associate Judges of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Upon completing her clerkships, she continued her commitment to a career in public service by joining the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City.
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For more than fourteen years, Judge McKeithen served with distinction in many units of the State’s Attorney’s Office, including those that worked with community and law enforcement partners to adopt strategic approaches to combating quality-of-life and violent crimes. Judge McKeithen investigated and tried scores of cases involving weapons offenses, assault, felony drug possession and distribution, robbery, murder, arson, vulnerable adult abuse, carjacking, perjury, obstruction of justice, and felony theft conspiracy.
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Judge McKeithen served in the Major Investigations Unit for several years, where she was responsible for investigating and prosecuting the most violent offenders and criminal gangs in Baltimore City. She spearheaded what often became years-long investigations in concert with state, federal, and local law enforcement agencies, utilizing investigative tools such as electronic surveillance and long-term undercover operations. In 2014, Judge McKeithen was appointed Special Assistant United States Attorney by the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. As a Special Assistant, Judge McKeithen investigated and prosecuted federal drug and weapons offenses.
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In 2016, Judge McKeithen was named Assistant Chief Counsel with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As a line Assistant Chief Counsel, Judge McKeithen advised ICE agents on immigration law and policy and litigated hundreds of immigration matters before the Executive Office of Immigration Review. For several years, Judge McKeithen led the Human Rights Violators Team, which is tasked with identifying and working within the law to remove from the United States individuals who, in their native countries, committed war crimes and human rights violations, including torture, genocide, arbitrary or extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, female genital mutilation, and the recruitment of child soldiers.
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Judge McKeithen was also co-lead of the Federal Litigation Team, regularly consulting with, advising, and assisting the Department of Justice on matters pending in federal courts. She also advised ICE officials on the impact and scope of federal court rulings and formulated guidance to ensure ICE’s compliance with the law.
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Judge McKeithen serves as Treasurer of the Monumental City Bar Association, Inc. She enjoys volunteering in her community and spending time with her loving, close-knit family.
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