District of Columbia Court of Appeals

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court of the District of Columbia. Established in 1970, it is equivalent to a state supreme court, except that its authority is derived from the United States Congress rather than from the inherent sovereignty of the states. The court is located in the former District of Columbia City Hall building at Judiciary Square. The D.C. Court of Appeals should not be confused with the District's federal appellate court, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The D.C. Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia comprise the District's local court system.

Not to be confused with United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is located in the former D.C. City Hall, a National Historic Landmark.
Established1970
LocationDistrict of Columbia City Hall, Judiciary Square, Washington, DC
Composition methodPresidential nomination with Senate confirmation
Authorized byDerived from the United States Congress
Appeals toSupreme Court of the United States (in matters of federal law only)
Judge term length15 years
Number of positions9
WebsiteDCCourts.gov
Chief judge
CurrentlyAnna Blackburne-Rigsby
SinceMarch 17, 2017 (2017-03-17)
District of Columbia
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
District of Columbia


The District of Columbia is a unique federal district of the U.S.

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 interlocutory orders of the associate judges of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, as well as decisions of certain D.C. agencies. The court also has jurisdiction to review decisions of administrative agencies, boards, and commissions of the District government, as well as to answer questions of law presented by the Supreme Court of the United States, a United States court of appeals, or the highest appellate court of any state. As authorized by Congress, the court reviews proposed rules of the trial court and develops its own rules for proceedings.

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 he or she 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.

District of Columbia Court of Appeals Associate Judge Kathryn A. Oberly observes as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is sworn to office, while Bill Clinton holds the Bible.
(January 21, 2009)

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.[1]

Active judges

As of January 6, 2020:

Judge First term began Current term ends Chief
Anna Blackburne-Rigsby[2] November 17, 2006[3] 2021 March 18, 2017[4] – present
Stephen H. Glickman[5] 1999[5] 2029 ——
John R. Fisher[6] January 6, 2006[7] 2021 ——
Phyllis D. Thompson[8] 2006[8] 2021 ——
Corinne A. Beckwith[9] December 2011 2026 ——
Catharine F. Easterly[10] February 10, 2012 2027 ——
Roy W. McLeese III[11] September 21, 2012 2027 ——
Joshua Deahl January 6, 2020 2035 ——
vacant —— —— ——

Senior judges

The senior judges are Eric T. Washington, Frank Q. Nebeker, John M. Ferren, John M. Steadman, and Vanessa Ruiz.[12]

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 John P. Howard III June 25, 2020
— John R. Fisher August 22, 2020[13] Vijay Shanker

Former judges


Judge Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for termination
Catherine B. Kelly 1917–1995 1967–1983 – – Lyndon B. Johnson Resignation


Austin L. Fickling 1914–1977 1968–1977 Death


John W. Kern III 1928–2018 1968–1984 1984–2012 Retirement


George R. Gallagher 1915–2007 1968–1981 1981–2001 Retirement


Hubert Pair 1904–1999 1970–1974 1975–1988 Richard Nixon Death


Gerard D. Reilly 1906–1995 1970–1976 1972–1976 1976–1995 Death


J. Walter Yeagley 1909–1990 1970–1979 – 1979–1984 Retirement


Stanley S. Harris 1927–present 1972–1982 – Appointed United States Attorney for the District of Columbia


Julia Cooper Mack 1920–2014 1975–1989 1989–2001 Gerald Ford Retirement


Theodore R. Newman Jr. 1934–present 1976–1991 1976–1984 1991–2016 Retirement


William C. Pryor 1932–present 1979–1988 1984–1988 1988–2019 Jimmy Carter Retirement


James A. Belson 1931–present 1981–1991 – 1991–2017 Ronald Reagan Retirement


John A. Terry 1933–present 1982–2006 2006–2016 Retirement


Judith W. Rogers 1939–present 1983–1994 1988–1994 – Appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit


Frank E. Schwelb 1932–2014 1988–2006 – 2006–2014 Retirement


Michael W. Farrell 1938–present 1989–2008 – 2009–2019 George H. W. Bush Retirement


Annice M. Wagner 1937–present 1990–2005 1994–2005 2005–2013 Retirement


Emmet G. Sullivan 1947–present 1991–1994 – – Appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia


Warren R. King 1937–present 1991–1998 1998–2016 Retirement


Inez Smith Reid 1937–present 1995–2011 2011–2017 Bill Clinton Retirement


Noël A. Kramer 1945–2018 2005–2011 – George W. Bush Retirement


Kathryn A. Oberly 1950–present 2009–2013 Resignation

See also

References
  1. "Judicial Selection in the States: District of Columbia". American Judicature Society. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  2. Official Bio of Judge Blackburne-Rigsby
  3. Former Superior Court Judge to become Judge on D.C. Court of Appeals
  4. Judge Blackburne-Rigsby Named Chief Judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals
  5. "Official Bio of Judge Glickman" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-06-14.
  6. "Official Bio of Judge Fisher" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2015-06-14.
  7. John Fisher to Be Sworn In as Associate Judge on D.C. Court of Appeals This Friday
  8. "Official Bio of Judge Thompson" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-06-26. Retrieved 2015-06-14.
  9. Official Bio of Judge Beckwith
  10. Official Bio of Judge Easterly
  11. "Official Bio of Judge McLeese" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-06-14.
  12. District of Columbia Court of Appeals Judges
  13. "Notice of Judicial Vacancies on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals". jnc.dc.gov. December 6, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2020.


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