- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
-
Not to be confused with Superior Court of the District of Columbia."Supreme Court of the District of Columbia" redirects here. For the court of last resort for the District of Columbia, see District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
(D.D.C.)Map Location Washington, D.C. Appeals to District of Columbia Circuit Established 1863 Judges assigned 15 Chief judge Royce C. Lamberth Official site The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
Contents
History
The court was established by Congress in 1863 as the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, replacing the abolished circuit and district courts of the District of Columbia that had been in place since 1801. The court consisted of four justices, including a chief justice, and was granted the same powers and jurisdiction as the earlier circuit court. Any of the justices could convene a United States circuit court or a local criminal court. In 1936, Congress renamed the court the District Court for the District of Columbia. Its current name was adopted in 1948, and from then on justices were known as judges.
Originally housed in the former District of Columbia City Hall, the court now sits in the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse located at 333 Constitution Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C. The District has no local district attorney or equivalent, and so local prosecutorial matters also fall into the jurisdiction of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) are tasked with prosecution of not only federal crimes but also crimes that would normally be left to the state prosecutor's discretion. Because of this the District has the largest U.S. Attorney's Office in the nation, with around 250 AUSAs.
Notable cases
- United States v. Hubbard - 1978 - Charged various members of the Church of Scientology (including L Ron Hubbard's wife, Mary Sue Hubbard) with conspiracy, theft, obstruction, and several other criminal acts relating the Church's Operation Snow White.
Current judges
- As of January 31, 2011, a vacancy exists in the District when Judge Ricardo M. Urbina assumed senior status. On July 28, 2011, President Obama nominated Rudolph Contreras to fill this vacancy. It is currently pending.
- As of November 8, 2011 a second vacancy exists when judge Henry H. Kennedy Jr. assumed senior status. No replacement nomination is currently pending.
# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by Active Chief Senior 81 Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth Washington, D.C. 1943 1987–present 2008–present (n/a) Reagan 85 District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan Washington, D.C. 1947 1994–present (n/a) (n/a) Clinton 88 District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly Washington, D.C. 1943 1997–present (n/a) (n/a) Clinton 90 District Judge Richard W. Roberts Washington, D.C. 1953 1998–present (n/a) (n/a) Clinton 91 District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle Washington, D.C. 1948 1999–present (n/a) (n/a) Clinton 92 District Judge Reggie Walton Washington, D.C. 1949 2001–present (n/a) (n/a) G.W. Bush 93 District Judge John D. Bates Washington, D.C. 1946 2001–present (n/a) (n/a) G.W. Bush 94 District Judge Richard J. Leon Washington, D.C. 1949 2002–present (n/a) (n/a) G.W. Bush 95 District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer Washington, D.C. 1945 2002–present (n/a) (n/a) G.W. Bush 96 District Judge Beryl A. Howell Washington, D.C. 1956 2010–present (n/a) (n/a) Obama 97 District Judge Robert L. Wilkins Washington, D.C. 1963 2010–present (n/a) (n/a) Obama 98 District Judge James E. Boasberg Washington, D.C. 1963 2011–present (n/a) (n/a) Obama 99 District Judge Amy Berman Jackson Washington, D.C. 1954 2011–present (n/a) (n/a) Obama — District Judge (Vacant) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) — District Judge (Vacant) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) (n/a) 71 Senior District Judge Louis F. Oberdorfer Washington, D.C. 1919 1977–1992 (n/a) 1992–present Carter 74 Senior District Judge Joyce Hens Green Washington, D.C. 1928 1979–1995 (n/a) 1995–present [1] Carter 77 Senior District Judge Thomas F. Hogan Washington, D.C. 1938 1982–2008 2001–2008 2008–present Reagan 83 Senior District Judge Paul L. Friedman Washington, D.C. 1944 1994–2009 (n/a) 2009–present Clinton 84 Senior District Judge Gladys Kessler Washington, D.C. 1938 1994–2007 (n/a) 2007–present Clinton 86 Senior District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina Washington, D.C. 1946 1994–2011 (n/a) 2011–present Clinton 89 Senior District Judge Henry Harold Kennedy Jr. Washington, D.C. 1948 1997–2011 (n/a) 2011-present Clinton Former judges
Judge Appointed by Began active
serviceEnded active
serviceEnded senior
statusEnd reason David Kellogg Cartter Abraham Lincoln March 11, 1863 April 16, 1887 – death George P. Fisher Abraham Lincoln March 11, 1863 May 1, 1870 – resignation Abram B. Olin Abraham Lincoln March 11, 1863 January 13, 1879 – retirement Andrew Wylie Abraham Lincoln March 18, 1863[2] May 1, 1885 – retirement David Campbell Humphreys Ulysses Grant May 13, 1870 July 2, 1879 – death Arthur MacArthur, Sr. Ulysses Grant July 15, 1870 April 1, 1887 – retirement Alexander Burton Hagner Rutherford B. Hayes January 21, 1879 June 1, 1903 – retirement Walter Smith Cox Rutherford B. Hayes March 1, 1879 July 1, 1899 – retirement William Matthew Merrick Grover Cleveland May 1, 1885[3] February 4, 1889 – death Martin V. Montgomery Grover Cleveland April 1, 1887[4] October 2, 1892 – resignation Edward Franklin Bingham Grover Cleveland April 22, 1887[5] April 30, 1903 – retirement Andrew Coyle Bradley Benjamin Harrison March 23, 1889 May 15, 1902 – death Louis E. McComas Benjamin Harrison November 17, 1892[6] March 3, 1899 – resignation Charles Cleaves Cole Benjamin Harrison January 28, 1893 April 22, 1901 – resignation Harry M. Clabaugh William McKinley March 2, 1899 May 1, 1903 – reappointment Job Barnard William McKinley October 1, 1899[7] June 8, 1914 – retirement Thomas H. Anderson William McKinley April 23, 1901[8] October 1, 1916 – death Ashley Mulgrave Gould Theodore Roosevelt December 8, 1902 May 20, 1921 – death Harry M. Clabaugh Theodore Roosevelt April 1, 1903[9] March 6, 1914 – death Jeter Connelly Pritchard Theodore Roosevelt November 16, 1903 June 1, 1904 – reappointment Daniel Thew Wright Theodore Roosevelt November 17, 1903 November 15, 1914 – resignation Wendell Phillips Stafford Theodore Roosevelt June 1, 1904[10] May 4, 1931 – retirement James Harry Covington Woodrow Wilson June 15, 1914 May 31, 1918 – resignation Walter I. McCoy Woodrow Wilson October 2, 1914 May 22, 1918 – reappointment Frederick Lincoln Siddons Woodrow Wilson January 15, 1915 June 19, 1931 – death William Hitz Woodrow Wilson November 15, 1916[11] February 13, 1931 – reappointment Thomas Jennings Bailey Woodrow Wilson May 22, 1918 November 1, 1950 January 9, 1963 death Walter I. McCoy Woodrow Wilson May 22, 1918 December 8, 1929 – retirement Adolph A. Hoehling, Jr. Warren G. Harding June 13, 1921 December 31, 1927 – resignation Peyton Gordon Calvin Coolidge March 29, 1928 February 4, 1941 September 17, 1946 death Alfred Adams Wheat Herbert Hoover May 3, 1929 June 4, 1930 – reappointment Alfred Adams Wheat Herbert Hoover June 4, 1930 December 31, 1941 May 11, 1943 death Jesse Corcoran Adkins Herbert Hoover June 17, 1930 October 15, 1946 March 29, 1955 death Oscar Raymond Luhring Herbert Hoover July 3, 1930 August 18, 1944 – death Joseph Winston Cox Herbert Hoover July 7, 1930 September 9, 1939 – death James McPherson Proctor Herbert Hoover March 2, 1931 March 5, 1948 – reappointment F. Dickinson Letts Herbert Hoover May 5, 1931[12] May 31, 1961 January 19, 1965 death Daniel William O'Donoghue Herbert Hoover October 28, 1931[13] October 31, 1946 June 29, 1948 death Bolitha James Laws Franklin D. Roosevelt June 24, 1938 February 23, 1945 – reappointment Thomas Alan Goldsborough Franklin D. Roosevelt February 23, 1939 June 16, 1951 – death James Ward Morris Franklin D. Roosevelt June 19, 1939 November 15, 1960 – death David Andrew Pine Franklin D. Roosevelt March 29, 1940 April 2, 1965 June 11, 1970 death Matthew Francis McGuire Franklin D. Roosevelt August 1, 1941 October 7, 1966 January 24, 1986 death Edward C. Eicher Franklin D. Roosevelt January 23, 1942 November 30, 1944 – death Henry Albert Schweinhaut Franklin D. Roosevelt December 19, 1944 November 16, 1956 June 22, 1970 death Bolitha James Laws Franklin D. Roosevelt February 23, 1945 September 1, 1948 – reappointment Alexander Holtzoff Harry S. Truman September 28, 1945 December 31, 1967 September 6, 1969 death Richmond Bowling Keech Harry S. Truman October 14, 1946[14] November 1, 1966 April 13, 1986 death Edward Matthew Curran Harry S. Truman October 16, 1946[15] April 2, 1971 January 10, 1988 death Edward Allen Tamm Harry S. Truman June 22, 1948[16] March 16, 1965 – reappointment Charles F. McLaughlin Harry S. Truman October 21, 1949[17] December 31, 1964 February 5, 1976 death James Robert Kirkland Harry S. Truman October 21, 1949[18] February 25, 1958 – death Burnita Shelton Matthews Harry S. Truman October 21, 1949[19] March 1, 1968 April 25, 1988 death Walter Maximillian Bastian Harry S. Truman October 23, 1950[20] December 15, 1954 – reappointment Luther Youngdahl Harry S. Truman August 29, 1951 May 29, 1966 June 21, 1978 death Joseph Charles McGarraghy Dwight D. Eisenhower December 3, 1954 December 17, 1967 November 29, 1975 death John Sirica Dwight D. Eisenhower March 28, 1957 October 31, 1977 August 14, 1992 death George Luzerne Hart, Jr. Dwight D. Eisenhower August 29, 1958[21] May 16, 1979 May 21, 1984 death Leonard Patrick Walsh Dwight D. Eisenhower September 14, 1959 October 5, 1971 February 13, 1980 death William Blakely Jones John F. Kennedy April 12, 1962 March 20, 1977 July 31, 1979 death Spottswood William Robinson III Lyndon B. Johnson January 6, 1964[22] November 8, 1966 – reappointment Howard Francis Corcoran Lyndon B. Johnson March 11, 1965 November 30, 1977 May 11, 1989 death William Benson Bryant Lyndon B. Johnson August 11, 1965 January 31, 1982 November 13, 2005 death Oliver Gasch Lyndon B. Johnson August 11, 1965 November 30, 1981 July 8, 1999 death Aubrey Eugene Robinson Jr. Lyndon B. Johnson November 3, 1966 March 1, 1992 February 27, 2000 death John Lewis Smith Jr. Lyndon B. Johnson November 3, 1966 January 31, 1983 September 4, 1992 death Joseph Cornelius Waddy Lyndon B. Johnson March 4, 1967 August 1, 1978 – death Gerhard Alden Gesell Lyndon B. Johnson December 12, 1967 January 22, 1993 February 19, 1993 death June Lazenby Green Lyndon B. Johnson June 7, 1968 January 15, 1984 February 2, 2001 death John H. Pratt Lyndon B. Johnson June 7, 1968 December 1, 1989 August 11, 1995 death Barrington D. Parker Richard Nixon December 19, 1969 December 19, 1985 June 2, 1993 death Charles Robert Richey Richard Nixon May 5, 1971 January 23, 1997 March 19, 1997 death Thomas Aquinas Flannery Richard Nixon December 6, 1971 May 10, 1985 September 20, 2007 death Harold H. Greene Jimmy Carter May 19, 1978 August 6, 1995 January 29, 2000 death John Garrett Penn Jimmy Carter March 23, 1979 March 31, 1998 September 9, 2007 death Norma Holloway Johnson Jimmy Carter May 12, 1980 June 18, 2001 December 31, 2003 retirement Thomas Penfield Jackson Ronald Reagan June 25, 1982 January 31, 2002 August 31, 2004 retirement Stanley S. Harris Ronald Reagan November 14, 1983 February 1, 1996 June 2, 2001 retirement George Hughes Revercomb Ronald Reagan December 17, 1985 August 1, 1993 – death Stanley Sporkin Ronald Reagan December 17, 1985 February 12, 1999 January 15, 2000 retirement Michael Boudin George H. W. Bush August 7, 1990 January 31, 1992 – resignation James Robertson Bill Clinton October 11, 1994 December 31, 2008 June 1, 2010 retirement See also
- Courts of the United States
- List of United States federal courthouses in the District of Columbia
Notes
- ^ Currently Inactive
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1864, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 20, 1864, and received commission on January 20, 1864.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 14, 1885, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 30, 1886, and received commission on March 30, 1886.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 20, 1887, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 26, 1888, and received commission on January 26, 1888.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 20, 1887, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 23, 1888, and received commission on January 23, 1888.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1892, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 25, 1893, and received commission on January 25, 1893.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 11, 1899, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 19, 1899, and received commission on December 19, 1899.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 5, 1901, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 4, 1902, and received commission on February 6, 1902.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on November 10, 1903, confirmed by the United States Senate on November 16, 1903, and received commission on November 16, 1903.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1904, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 13, 1904, and received commission on December 13, 1904.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 15, 1916, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 2, 1917, and received commission on January 2, 1917.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 15, 1931, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 17, 1932, and received commission on February 20, 1932.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 15, 1931, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 26, 1932, and received commission on February 23, 1932.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 8, 1947, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 22, 1947, and received commission on January 24, 1947.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 8, 1947, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 3, 1947, and received commission on February 5, 1947.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 13, 1949, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 29, 1949, and received commission on April 1, 1949.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the United States Senate on February 27, 1950, and received commission on March 1, 1950.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 8, 1950, and received commission on March 9, 1950.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the United States Senate on April 4, 1950, and received commission on April 7, 1950.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on November 27, 1950, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 14, 1950, and received commission on December 22, 1950.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 17, 1959, confirmed by the United States Senate on September 9, 1959, and received commission on September 10, 1959.
- ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on February 3, 1964, confirmed by the United States Senate on July 1, 1964, and received commission on July 2, 1964.
External links
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Official Website
- Official Courthouse History
- Federal Judicial Center's History of the Court
United States district and territorial courts List of United States district and territorial courtsGeographic
BoundariesDistrict Courts Alabama (N, M, S) • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas (E, W) • California (C, E, N, S) • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • District of Columbia • Florida (N, M, S) • Georgia (N, M, S) • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois (N, C, S) • Indiana (N, S) • Iowa (N, S) • Kansas • Kentucky (E, W) • Louisiana (E, M, W) • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan (E, W) • Minnesota • Mississippi (N, S) • Missouri (E, W) • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York (E, N, S, W) • North Carolina (E, M, W) • North Dakota • Ohio (N, S) • Oklahoma (E, N, W) • Oregon • Pennsylvania (E, M, W) • Puerto Rico • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee (E, M, W) • Texas (E, N, S, W) • Utah • Vermont • Virginia (E, W) • Washington (E, W) • West Virginia (N, S) • Wisconsin (E, W) • WyomingTerritorial courts Extinct courts Former United States district courts • United States District Court for the District of Orleans • District of Potomac • Eastern District of Illinois • District of the Canal Zone • District of ChinaCategories:- United States district courts
- Courthouses in Washington, D.C.
- Government in Washington, D.C.
- Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.