9 3 7 , ▁a ▁Jur is ▁Doctor ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Maryland ▁School ▁of ▁Law , ▁entering ▁the ▁Maryland ▁Bar ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁James ▁immediately ▁established ▁a ▁law ▁practice ▁in ▁Bel ▁Air , ▁and ▁would ▁continue ▁to ▁practice ▁law ▁there ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁He ▁quickly ▁rose ▁to ▁prom in ence ▁in ▁the ▁legal ▁community , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁trial ▁magistr ate ▁in ▁Hav re ▁de ▁Grace ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁left ▁when ▁he ▁won ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁Maryland ▁House ▁of ▁De leg ates ▁representing ▁Har ford ▁County . ▁Following ▁two ▁terms ▁in ▁the ▁House , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁to ▁represent ▁Har ford ▁County ▁in ▁the ▁Maryland ▁Senate . ▁In ▁January ▁of ▁that ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁married ▁Margaret ▁H igin both om ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁would ▁have ▁a ▁son , ▁Robert ▁Roy , ▁and ▁a ▁daughter , ▁Mary - D ul any . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁James ▁was ▁elected ▁by ▁his ▁fellow ▁Sen ators ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Maryland ▁Senate , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁would ▁hold ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁de cade . ▁This ▁would ▁lead ▁to ▁other ▁prominent ▁positions ▁in ▁state ▁politics . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁Second ▁Vice - Pres ident ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁Constitution al ▁Convention , ▁became ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Commission ▁to ▁Rev ise ▁the ▁An not ated ▁Code ▁of ▁Maryland