MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood has retired after more than 31 years as an assistant prosecutor, including 29 years with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
Calderwood’s retirement was marked Wednesday, September 30, with a walkout ceremony at the Morris County Administration and Records Building, where she was recognized for her years of service and dedication to the people of Morris County. Honoring her were Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Mark Castellano, Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw, State Senator Anthony Bucco, Sheriff James M. Gannon, Wharton Police Chief David Young, Rockaway Borough Police Chief Conrad Pepperman and Montville Police Chief Andrew Caggiano on behalf of the Morris County Police Chiefs Association, and Chief Assistant Prosecutor Meg Rodriguez and her colleagues in the Prosecutor’s Office.
Director Shaw presented Calderwood with a framed Resolution of Honor on behalf of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners, recognizing her more than three decades of service to the justice system.
“Over the years, Maggie has been a prosecutor, a supervisor, a leader, a teacher and a mentor. She has helped guide attorneys and law enforcement officers, shared her knowledge with the community and represented the Prosecutor’s Office in some of the most serious matters handled in our county,” said Director Shaw. “On behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, we thank Maggie for her extraordinary service to Morris County and wish her and her family all the best in retirement.”
Calderwood served as First Assistant Prosecutor beginning January 4, 2021, providing leadership across the Prosecutor’s Office and working closely with law enforcement agencies and other members of the county’s criminal justice system. She previously served as chief assistant prosecutor, executive assistant prosecutor and supervising assistant prosecutor, overseeing divisions and units including Major Crimes, Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment, Domestic Violence, General Investigations, Pretrial Services and Professional Standards.
As a trial attorney, Calderwood prosecuted numerous high-profile and complex jury trials involving murder, aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide and aggravated sexual assault cases involving adult and child victims. She has been recognized as a Certified Criminal Trial Attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey since 2011.
Throughout her career, Calderwood has also shared her legal and law enforcement knowledge through lectures at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy, local schools and community organizations.
Her work has earned several professional honors. In 2019, Calderwood was recognized by the Superior Court of New Jersey, Morris/Sussex Vicinage, and the Morris/Sussex County Bar Association as part of the “Women Pioneers in the Law” exhibit for her contributions to the justice system. She received the Morris County Bar Association’s Criminal Practice Award in 2022 for her professionalism and dedication to the field, and in 2024 received the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey’s “Outstanding Advocacy Over a Career” award.
Calderwood has also served as co-chair of the Morris County Bar Association’s Criminal Practice Committee since 2020.
Her legal career began with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office in 1994, where she represented the state in numerous jury trials. She joined the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in 1997 after serving as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Stephen F. Smith, presiding criminal judge of the Morris County Superior Court.
Calderwood earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Moravian College in 1988 and a law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1992.
“I congratulate First Assistant Maggie Calderwood on an outstanding career as a prosecutor,” Prosecutor Carroll said. “I believe her career serves as a model for how a legal professional should practice criminal law. Her skills, experience, reputation for integrity, common sense and legal knowledge made her an invaluable and effective leader in Morris County law enforcement.
“First Assistant Prosecutor Calderwood has the respect and admiration of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office staff, the defense bar, the judiciary, as well as every police department in Morris County — a tremendous achievement by any measure. On a personal level, I wish to thank Maggie for serving as my First Assistant, and for her sage advice and dedication during my administration over the last six years. Her legacy of professionalism will live on in the more than 200-year history of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office,” he continued.
