District of Columbia Court of Appeals
District of Columbia Court of Appeals | |
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Derived from the United States Congress | |
Appeals to | Supreme Court of the United States (in matters of federal law only) |
Appeals from | Superior Court of the District of Columbia |
Judge term length | 15 years |
Number of positions | 9 |
Website | DCCourts.gov |
Chief judge | |
Currently | Anna Blackburne-Rigsby |
Since | March 17, 2017 |
Politics of District of Columbia |
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The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court of the District of Columbia, the capital city of the United States. The court was established in 1942 as the Municipal Court of Appeals, and it has been the court of last resort for matters of D.C. local law since 1970. The court is located in the former District of Columbia City Hall building at Judiciary Square. The D.C. Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia comprise the District of Columbia's court system.
The D.C. Court of Appeals is the equivalent of a
History
For much of the history of the District of Columbia, appeals in local matters were adjudicated by federal courts: first the
Federal and local jurisdiction in the D.C. remained entangled until 1970, when Congress enacted the District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act. In addition to establishing the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the Act established the District of Columbia Court of Appeals as the "highest court for the District of Columbia," expanded its size to its present composition of nine judges, and broadened its jurisdiction to hear all appeals from the Superior Court and review decisions of the city's mayor and administrative agencies.[1]
Powers
As the court of last resort for the District of Columbia, the Court of Appeals is authorized to review all final orders, judgments, and specified
Cases before the court are determined by randomly selected three-judge divisions, unless a hearing or rehearing before the court sitting en banc (with all judges present) is ordered. A hearing or rehearing before the court sitting en banc may be ordered by a majority of the judges in regular active service, generally only when consideration by the full court is necessary to maintain uniformity of its decisions, or when the case involves a question of exceptional importance. The en banc court consists of the nine judges of the court in regular active service, except that a retired judge may sit to rehear a case or controversy if the judge heard the original hearing. The Chief Judge may designate and assign temporarily one or more judges of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to serve on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals when required.
Members of the court are empowered to adjudicate the oath of office ceremony for the executive cabinet of the president.
In the exercise of its inherent power over members of the legal profession, the court established the District of Columbia Bar and has the power to approve the rules governing attorney disciplinary proceedings. The court also reviews the rules of professional conduct and has established rules governing the admission of members of the District of Columbia Bar and the resolution of complaints concerning the unauthorized practice of law in the District of Columbia.
Judges
The court consists of a chief judge and eight associate judges. The court is assisted by the service of retired judges who have been recommended and approved as senior judges. Despite being the District's local appellate court, judges are appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for 15-year terms.[2] In 2011, the district's judicial conduct entity, the Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure, gained the ability to reappoint judges that it deems "well qualified" for subsequent 15-year terms without input from the president or senate. If the commission deems the judge "qualified," the president has the option of renominating them, but if the commission deems the judge "unqualified," they are ineligible for reappointment.[3] In 2021, the commission reappointed Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby to a new 15-year term.[4]
Active judges
As of December 13, 2023[update]:
# | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Active | Chief | Senior | ||||||
36 | Chief Judge | Anna Blackburne-Rigsby | Washington, D.C. | 1961 | 2006–present | 2017–present | — | G.W. Bush |
39 | Judge | Corinne A. Beckwith | Washington, D.C. | 1963 | 2011–present | — | — | Obama |
40 | Judge | Catharine F. Easterly | Washington, D.C. | 1970 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
41 | Judge | Roy W. McLeese III | Washington, D.C. | 1959 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
42 | Judge | Joshua Deahl | Washington, D.C. | 1981 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
43 | Judge | John P. Howard III | Washington, D.C. | 1984 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
45 | Judge | Vijay Shanker | Washington, D.C. | 1972 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
46 | Judge | vacant | Washington, D.C. | — | — | — | — | — |
47 | Judge | vacant | Washington, D.C. | — | — | — | — | — |
24 | Senior Judge | John M. Steadman | Washington, D.C. | 1930 | 1985–2004 | — | 2004–present | Reagan |
30 | Senior Judge | Vanessa Ruiz | Washington, D.C. | 1950 | 1994–2011 | — | 2012–present | Clinton |
32 | Senior Judge | Stephen H. Glickman | Washington, D.C. | 1945 | 1999–2022 | — | 2022–present | Clinton |
33 | Senior Judge | Eric T. Washington | Washington, D.C. | 1953 | 1999–2017 | 2005–2017 | 2017–present | Clinton |
35 | Senior Judge | John R. Fisher | Washington, D.C. | 1946 | 2006–2020 | — | 2020–present | G.W. Bush |
37 | Senior Judge | Phyllis D. Thompson | Washington, D.C. | 1952 | 2006–2021 | — | 2021–present | G.W. Bush |
Vacancies and pending nominations
Seat | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | Kathryn A. Oberly | Retirement | November 1, 2013 | — | — |
— | Loren AliKhan | Elevation | December 13, 2023 | — | — |
Former judges
# | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William E. Richardson | DC
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1881–1945 | 1942–1945 | 1942–1945 | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
2 | Nathan Cayton | DC
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1899–1977 | 1942–1956 | 1946–1956 | 1956–1972 | F. Roosevelt | retirement |
3 | Andrew M. Hood | DC
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1900–1979 | 1942–1972 | 1961–1972 | — | F. Roosevelt | retirement |
4 | Brice Clagett | MD | 1889–1951 | 1946–1951 | — | — | Truman | death |
5 | Thomas D. Quinn | DC
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1898–1975 | 1951–1966 | — | — | Truman | retirement |
6 | Leo A. Rover | DC
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1888–1960 | 1956–1960 | 1956–1960 | — | Eisenhower | death |
7 | Frank H. Myers | DC
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1897–1974 | 1962–1969 | — | — | Kennedy | retirement |
8 | Catherine B. Kelly | DC
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1917–1995 | 1967–1983 | — | — | Johnson | resignation |
9 | Austin L. Fickling | DC
|
1914–1977 | 1968–1977 | — | — | Johnson | death |
10 | John W. Kern III | MD | 1928–2018 | 1968–1984 | — | 1984–2012 | Johnson | retirement |
11 | George R. Gallagher | MD | 1915–2007 | 1968–1981 | — | 1981–2001 | Johnson | retirement |
12 | Frank Q. Nebeker | VA | 1930–2024 | 1969–1987 | — | 1987–2021 | Nixon | retirement |
13 | Gerard D. Reilly | DC
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1906–1995 | 1970–1976 | 1972–1976 | 1976–1995 | Nixon | death |
14 | Hubert Pair | DC
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1904–1988 | 1971–1974 | — | 1975–1988 | Nixon | death |
15 | J. Walter Yeagley | VA | 1909–1990 | 1971–1979 | — | 1979–1984 | Nixon | retirement |
16 | Stanley S. Harris | MD | 1927–2021 | 1972–1982 | — | — | Nixon | resignation |
17 | Julia Cooper Mack | DC
|
1920–2014 | 1975–1989 | — | 1989–2001 | Ford | retirement |
18 | Theodore R. Newman Jr. | DC
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1934–2023 | 1976–1991 | 1976–1984 | 1991–2016 | Ford | retirement |
19 | John M. Ferren | DC
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1937–present | 1977–1997 | — | 1999–2023 | Carter | retirement |
20 | William C. Pryor | DC
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1932–2020 | 1979–1988 | 1984–1988 | 1988–2019 | Carter | retirement |
21 | James A. Belson | DC
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1931–present | 1981–1991 | — | 1991–2017 | Reagan | retirement |
22 | John A. Terry | DC
|
1933–2021 | 1982–2006 | — | 2006–2016 | Reagan | retirement |
23 | Judith W. Rogers | DC
|
1939–present | 1983–1994 | 1988–1994 | — | Reagan | elevation |
25 | Frank E. Schwelb | DC
|
1932–2014 | 1988–2006 | — | 2006–2014 | Reagan | retirement |
26 | Michael W. Farrell | DC
|
1938–present | 1989–2008 | — | 2009–2019 | G.H.W. Bush
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retirement |
27 | Annice M. Wagner | DC
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1937–present | 1990–2005 | 1994–2005 | 2005–2013 | G.H.W. Bush
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retirement |
28 | Warren R. King | DC
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1937–present | 1991–1998 | — | 1998–2016 | G.H.W. Bush
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retirement |
29 | Emmet G. Sullivan | DC
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1947–present | 1992–1994 | — | — | G.H.W. Bush
|
elevation |
31 | Inez Smith Reid | DC
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1937–present | 1995–2011 | — | 2011–2017 | Clinton | retirement |
34 | Noël A. Kramer | DC
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1945–2018 | 2005–2011 | — | 2011–2017 | G.W. Bush | retirement |
38 | Kathryn A. Oberly | DC
|
1950–present | 2009–2013 | — | — | G.W. Bush | resignation |
44 | Loren AliKhan | DC
|
1983–present | 2022–2023 | — | — | Biden | elevation |
Chief judges
The first three chief judges of the Municipal Court of Appeals were nominated and confirmed specifically as chief judges. However, in 1961, the Department of Justice determined that the relevant law was ambiguous enough that President Kennedy could elevate sitting judge Andrew M. Hood as chief judge without submitting a nomination to the Senate for that purpose, as President Truman had done when elevating Nathan Cayton as chief judge in 1946. The Library of Congress issued a legal opinion calling the Department of Justice's determination into question, but Hood remained as chief judge.[5] Since 1973, the chief judge has been selected by the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission for renewable four-year terms.[6]
Chief judge | |||
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Richardson | 1942–1945 | ||
Cayton | 1946–1956 | ||
Rover | 1956–1960 | ||
Hood | 1961–1972 | ||
Reilly | 1972–1976 | ||
Newman | 1976–1984 | ||
Pryor | 1984–1988 | ||
Rogers | 1988–1994 | ||
Wagner | 1994–2005 | ||
Washington | 2005–2017 | ||
Blackburne-Rigsby | 2017–present |
Succession of seats
The court has nine seats for active judges, numbered in the order in which they were initially filled. Judges who assume senior status enter a kind of retirement in which they remain on the bench but vacate their seats, thus allowing the U.S. President to appoint new judges to fill their seats.
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See also
- Superior Court of the District of Columbia
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
References
- ^ a b c Newman, Theodore R. (1978). "The State of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals". Catholic University Law Review. 27 (3): 453–468.
- ^ "Judicial Selection in the States: District of Columbia". American Judicature Society. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
- ^ "Statute Reestablishing the Commission". Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure. January 6, 2011.
- ^ "Evaluation of the Honorable Anna Blackburne-Rigsby" (PDF). District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure. June 14, 2021.
- ^ "Congressional Record: Vol. 108, Part 12". August 9, 1962. p. 16107-16108.
- Pub. L.93–198
External links
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals – Official webpage of the DC Court of Appeals, part of the DC Courts' website.
- "District of Columbia", Caselaw Access Project, Harvard Law School, Harvard Law Library