Superior Court of the District of Columbia

The Superior Court of the District of Columbia, commonly referred to as DC Superior Court, is the trial court for the District of Columbia. It hears cases involving criminal and civil law, as well as family court, landlord and tenant, probate, tax, and driving violations (no permit and DUI). All appeals of Superior Court decisions go to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals (though magistrate judge opinions are first appealed to a Superior Court Associate Judge).

Superior Court of the District of Columbia
H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse, Judiciary Square
Established	1970
Location	H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse, Judiciary Square, Washington, D.C.
Appeals to	District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Number of positions	62 judges (including chief judge)
Website	www.dccourts.gov
Chief Judge
Currently	Anita Josey-Herring
Since	October 1, 2020

The main court entrance on Indiana Avenue.

History

The first judicial systems in the new District of Columbia were established by the United States Congress in 1801.[1] The Circuit Court of the District of Columbia (not to be confused with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which it later evolved into) was both a trial court of general jurisdiction and an appellate court, and it heard cases under both local and federal law. Congress also established justices of the peace and an orphans' court, which were combined in 1870 into a new local court called the Police Court. The Police Court had jurisdiction over misdemeanors (concurrently with the federal courts) as well as equity powers.[1][2] In 1909, Congress converted the Police Court into the Municipal Court, which became a court of record with jury trials in 1921.[1] In 1963, Congress again converted the Municipal Court into the Court of General Sessions. Its jurisdiction was broader, although in criminal cases the federal courts retained concurrent jurisdiction. Under the District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970, the Court of General Sessions was combined with the Juvenile Court (established in 1906) and the D.C. Tax Court (established as the local Board of Tax Appeals in 1937) to form the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, a trial court of general and mostly exclusive jurisdiction for D.C.[1]

The Court consists of a chief judge and 61 associate judges. The Court is assisted by the service of 24 magistrate judges, as well as retired judges who have been recommended and approved as senior judges. When a vacancy occurs on the court, the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission invites applications and sends three candidates' names to the President of the United States, who sends one nomination to the U.S. Senate for advice and consent. If the Senate confirms a judge, he or she serves for a 15-year term, which is renewable. The Superior Court and the D.C. Court of Appeals, known collectively as the D.C. Courts, comprise the judicial branch of D.C. local government.[3]

In criminal cases, the government is represented by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia or the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, depending on the nature and severity of the charges.

Organizational units

• Civil Division – Civil actions and actions in equity; handles temporary restraining orders other than those involving domestic violence.
  • Civil Actions Branch – Amount in controversy above $10,000 or cases requesting equitable relief such as declarative judgments, injunctive relief, writs of attachment
  • Landlord and Tenant Branch – processes cases filed for possession of real property or violations of lease agreements. The Landlord Tenant Resource Center can assist those who do not have an attorney. The Center is located in Room 115 of Court Building B (510 Fourth Street, NW) and is open weekdays, 9:15 to noon.
  • Small Claims and Conciliation Branch – Amount in controversy $10,000 and below. There is a Small Claims Resource Center to assist those without an attorney. It is located in Court Building B, Room 102, and is open 9:15 to noon on Thursdays.
  • Housing Conditions Calendar handles cases in which landlords are alleged to have not kept their rental property compliant with the D.C. Housing Code.
• Criminal Division – This division handles cases including misdemeanor, felony, and serious traffic offenses. The division also has Community Courts, which take a problem-solving approach to misdemeanor crimes, a drug court and a mental health court.
• Family Court Operations Division – Family court
  • Family Court Central Intake Center (CIC) – all cases are filed here.
  • Domestic Relations Branch – divorce, legal separation, annulment, child custody, habeas corpus, and adoption
  • Juvenile and Neglect Branch – juvenile delinquency, child abuse and neglect.
  • Paternity and Child Support Branch – establishment of paternity, child support, and wage withholding
  • Marriage Bureau – marriage licenses/records; applications to perform marriage ceremonies in the District of Columbia by authorized ministers and others
  • Mental Health and Habilitation Branch – "hospitalization and continued treatment of persons adjudicated as mentally retarded or in need of mental health services"
  • Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect Branch is responsible for the determination of party eligibility for court appointed counsel in child abuse and neglect proceedings and processes the appointment of attorneys for parties in these cases.
  • Family Court Self Help Center – "provides legal information and assistance to self-represented parties in Family Court Cases."
  • Family Treatment Court –"court-supervised, voluntary, comprehensive residential substance abuse treatment program for mothers/female caretakers whose children are the subject of a child neglect case."
• Domestic Violence Division – Domestic violence – Handles cases of violence by a family member or romantic partner, person who shares living quarters, with whom one has a child in common, or between a former and current romantic partner. There are two intake centers: 1) the fourth floor of the Moultrie Courthouse, 2) the Medical Center at 1328 Southern Avenue, Suite 311. At either location those seeking a protection order can meet with police/prosecutor, advocate, file a petition for a stayaway order and/or custody, seek assistance of the Crime Victims Compensation Program and talk with an advocate to develop a safety plan.
• Probate Division/Office of the Register of Wills – handles matters relating to estates of those who have died, guardianships and conservatorships for incapacitated adults, and other such matters.
  • Probate Resource Center – those without an attorney can consult volunteer attorneys about probate matters at the Probate Resource Center in Room 316 of Court Building A (515 Fifth Street, NW) 8:30 to 3:30 Monday through Friday.
• Tax Division – Appeals and petitions for review of assessments made by the District of Columbia, as well as all proceedings brought by the District of Columbia for the imposition of criminal penalties pursuant to the provisions of the District of Columbia Code
• Family Court Social Services Division – This division supervises juveniles who are awaiting trial on juvenile charges or who are on probation after pleading or being found involved in a crime.
• Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division – Mediation and alternative dispute resolution services for those with cases in court, as well as a Community Information Referral Program for disputes that have not yet resulted in a lawsuit being filed.
• Special Operations Division
  • Jurors Office
  • Child Care Center
  • Judge-in-Chambers
  • Office of Court Interpreting Services

Active judges

As of November 21, 2019:

Title	Judge	First term began	Current term ends	Began senior status	First appointed by
Chief Judge	Anita Josey-Herring	November 11, 1997	2027	—	Bill Clinton
Associate Judge	José M. López	1990	2020	—	George H. W. Bush
Associate Judge	William M. Jackson[4]	June 1992	2022	—	George H. W. Bush
Associate Judge	Ronna Lee Beck[5]	May 26, 1995	2025	—	Bill Clinton
Associate Judge	John M. Campbell	November 11, 1997	2027	—	Bill Clinton
Associate Judge	Neal E. Kravitz	October 21, 1998	2028	—	Bill Clinton
Associate Judge	Hiram E. Puig-Lugo	June 6, 1999	2029	—	Bill Clinton
Associate Judge	John Ramsey Johnson	November 17, 2000	2030	—	Bill Clinton
Associate Judge	Gerald I. Fisher	January 15, 2001	2031	—	Bill Clinton
Associate Judge	Erik P. Christian[6]	July 20, 2001	2031	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Maurice A. Ross	June 6, 1999	2031	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Lynn Leibovitz	September 21, 2001	2031	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Robert Rigsby	October 11, 2002	2032	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Fern Flanagan Saddler	September 12, 2003	2033	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Craig Iscoe	January 5, 2004	2033	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	J. Michael Ryan	January 16, 2004	2034	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Laura Cordero	September 2, 2005	2020	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Juliet J. McKenna	December 16, 2005	2020	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Jennifer M. Anderson[7]	October 27, 2006	2021	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Heidi Pasichow	August 25, 2008	2023	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Anthony C. Epstein	September 8, 2008	2023	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Alfred S. Irving Jr.	December 3, 2008	2023	—	George W. Bush
Associate Judge	Florence Y. Pan	June 8, 2009	2024	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Milton C. Lee Jr.	2010	2025	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Marisa Demeo	May 10, 2010	2025	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Todd E. Edelman	October 4, 2010	2025	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Judith Smith	October 17, 2010	2025	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Maribeth Raffinan	October 29, 2010	2025	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Jennifer A. Di Toro	October 14, 2011	2026	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Yvonne M. Williams	December 16, 2011	2026	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	John F. McCabe	February 24, 2012	2027	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Peter A. Krauthamer	April 20, 2012	2027	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Danya Dayson	April 27, 2012	2027	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Kimberley S. Knowles	November 9, 2012	2027	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Michael Kenny O'Keefe	June 20, 2013	2028	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Robert Okun	November 8, 2013	2028	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	William W. Nooter	December 22, 2015	2030	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Steven M. Wellner	February 19, 2016	2031	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Robert A. Salerno	March 11, 2016	2031	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Darlene M. Soltys	March 18, 2016	2031	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Steven N. Berk[8]	July 29, 2016	2031	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Elizabeth Carroll Wingo	August 26, 2016	2031	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Julie H. Becker[9]	September 3, 2016	2031	—	Barack Obama
Associate Judge	Jonathan Pittman	April 4, 2018	2033	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	Kelly Higashi	October 26, 2018	2033	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	Carmen Guerricagoitia McLean	May 3, 2019	2034	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	James Crowell	August 2019	2034	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	Shana Frost Matini	August 2019	2034	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	Jason Park[10]	August 2019	2034	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	Rainey R. Brandt[11]	September 16, 2019	2034	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	Andrea L. Hertzfeld	November 2019	2034	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	Deborah J. Israel	November 2019	2034	—	Donald Trump
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Associate Judge	seat vacant	—	—	—	—
Senior Judge	Frederick H. Weisberg	1977	—	—	Jimmy Carter
Senior Judge	Truman A. Morrison III	1979	—	1999	Jimmy Carter
Senior Judge	Peter H. Wolf	May 16, 1979	—	1994	Jimmy Carter
Senior Judge	Henry F. Greene	May 1981	—	2004	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Ronald P. Wertheim	October 1981	—	1992	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Nan R. Shuker	1983	—	2004	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Geoffrey M. Alprin	January 7, 1983	—	February 1, 2010	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Robert I. Richter	1984	—	October 2, 2014	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Robert S. Tignor	1984	—	—	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Herbert B. Dixon Jr.	1985	—	April 28, 2015	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Richard A. Levie	1985	—	2000	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Curtis Von Kann	1985	—	—	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Harold L. Cushenberry Jr.	1986	—	December 16, 2015	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Michael L. Rankin	1986	—	—	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	Cheryl M. Long	1988	—	December 2009	Ronald Reagan
Senior Judge	John H. Bayly Jr.	1990	—	April 22, 2011	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Kaye K. Christian	1990	—	December 2010	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Patricia A. Wynn	1990	—	2002	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Joan Zeldon	1990	—	2012	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Zinora Mitchell-Rankin	January 12, 1990	—	February 29, 2012	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Gregory E. Mize	March 7, 1990	—	March 12, 2002	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Linda D. Turner	September 1990	—	December 5, 2008	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Ann O'Regan Keary	1992	—	August 2015	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Lee F. Satterfield	1992	—	February 1, 2017	George H. W. Bush
Senior Judge	Russell F. Canan	August 8, 1993	—	—	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Zoe Bush	July 18, 1994	—	—	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Rhonda Reid Winston	July 18, 1994	—	September 30, 2016	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Judith Bartnoff[12]	August 1, 1994	–	2019	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Robert E. Morin	July 30, 1996	—	September 30, 2020	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Melvin R. Wright	April 6, 1998	—	—	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Natalia Combs Greene	October 21, 1998	—	September 30, 2013	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Patricia A. Broderick[13]	November 3, 1998	—	June 5, 2020	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Thomas J. Motley	July 6, 2000	—	March 2018	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	John McAdam Mott	July 6, 2000	—	2018	Bill Clinton
Senior Judge	Jeanette Clark	2002	—	2017	George W. Bush
Senior Judge	Judith Nan Macaluso	2003	—	2016	George W. Bush
Senior Judge	Gregory E. Jackson	2005	—	2017	George W. Bush

Vacancies and pending nominations

Seat	Seat last held by	Vacancy reason	Date of vacancy	Nominee[14]	Date of nomination
—	Lee F. Satterfield	Term expired	February 1, 2017	–	–
—	John Ramsey Johnson		May 17, 2019	–	–
—	Michael Rankin		August 31, 2019	–	–
—	Judith Bartnoff		September 13, 2019	–	–
—	Carol Dalton		January 30, 2020	–	–
—	Wendell P. Gardner		March 27, 2020	–	–
—	Patricia A. Broderick		June 5, 2020	–	–
—	Robert E. Morin		September 30, 2020	–	–
—	Ronna Lee Beck		January 8, 2021	–	–

See also

• List of Superior Court of the District of Columbia judges

References

1. Goodbread, Ronald A. (September 1, 2009). "A Brief Topical History of Local and Federal Trial and Appellate Courts in the District of Columbia". Daily Washington Law Reporter. p. 1847.
2. Cave v. Rudolph, 53 App.D.C. 12, 16 (C.A.D.C. 1923).
3. "Judicial Selection in the States: District of Columbia". American Judicature Society. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
4. "Bio". www.dccourts.gov. 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
5. "Bio" (PDF). www.dccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
6. "Bio" (PDF). www.dccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
7. "Bio" (PDF). www.dccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
8. "Bio" (PDF). www.dccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
9. "Bio" (PDF). www.dccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
10. "Chief Judge Robert E. Morin | District of Columbia Courts". Dccourts.gov. 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
11. "Bio" (PDF). www.dccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
12. "Bio" (PDF). www.dccourts.gov. 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
13. "Bio" (PDF). www.dccourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
14. Then-president Donald Trump nominated candidates to fill these seats, most recently on January 3, 2021. President Joe Biden withdrew the nominations on February 4, 2021.

External links

• DC Courts' official website