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.)
Location of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
LocationE. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse
(Washington, D.C., U.S.)
Appeals toDistrict of Columbia Circuit
EstablishedMarch 3, 1863
Judges15
Chief JudgeJames Boasberg
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyMatthew M. Graves
U.S. MarshalLamont Ruffin (acting)
www.dcd.uscourts.gov

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a federal district court in Washington, D.C. Along with the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii and the High Court of American Samoa, it also sometimes handles federal issues that arise in the territory of American Samoa, which has no local federal court or territorial court.[1]

Appeals from the District Court 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.

The current United States attorney for the District of Columbia is Matthew M. Graves, who was sworn into office on November 5, 2021.[2]

History

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E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse at 333 Constitution Avenue, N.W. in Washington, D.C.

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 of the United States for the District of Columbia. Its current name was adopted in 1948, and from then on justices were known as judges.[3]

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, N.W., in 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. The District Court has the largest U.S. Attorney's Office in the nation, with around 250 assistant U.S. attorneys.

Current judges

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As of December 3, 2024:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
98 Chief Judge James Boasberg Washington, D.C. 1963 2011–present 2023–present — Obama
100 District Judge Rudolph Contreras Washington, D.C. 1962 2012–present — — Obama
102 District Judge Christopher R. Cooper Washington, D.C. 1966 2014–present — — Obama
103 District Judge Tanya Chutkan Washington, D.C. 1962 2014–present — — Obama
104 District Judge Randolph Moss Washington, D.C. 1961 2014–present — — Obama
105 District Judge Amit Mehta Washington, D.C. 1971 2014–present — — Obama
106 District Judge Timothy J. Kelly Washington, D.C. 1969 2017–present — — Trump
107 District Judge Trevor N. McFadden Washington, D.C. 1978 2017–present — — Trump
108 District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich Washington, D.C. 1967 2017–present — — Trump
109 District Judge Carl J. Nichols Washington, D.C. 1970 2019–present — — Trump
111 District Judge Jia M. Cobb Washington, D.C. 1980 2021–present — — Biden
112 District Judge Ana C. Reyes Washington, D.C. 1974 2023–present — — Biden
113 District Judge Loren AliKhan Washington, D.C. 1983 2023–present — — Biden
114 District Judge Amir Ali Washington, D.C. 1985 2024–present — — Biden
115 District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan Washington, D.C. 1983 beg. 2024 — — Biden
77 Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan inactive 1938 1982–2008 2001–2008 2008–present Reagan
81 Senior Judge Royce Lamberth Washington, D.C.
San Antonio, Texas[Note 1] 		1943 1987–2013 2008–2013 2013–present Reagan
83 Senior Judge Paul L. Friedman Washington, D.C. 1944 1994–2009 — 2009–present Clinton
85 Senior Judge Emmet G. Sullivan Washington, D.C. 1947 1994–2021 — 2021–present Clinton
88 Senior Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly Washington, D.C. 1943 1997–2023 — 2023–present Clinton
89 Senior Judge Henry H. Kennedy Jr. inactive 1948 1997–2011 — 2011–present Clinton
90 Senior Judge Richard W. Roberts inactive 1953 1998–2016 2013–2016 2016–present Clinton
91 Senior Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle inactive 1948 1999–2014 — 2014–present Clinton
92 Senior Judge Reggie Walton Washington, D.C. 1949 2001–2015 — 2015–present G.W. Bush
93 Senior Judge John D. Bates Washington, D.C. 1946 2001–2014 — 2014–present G.W. Bush
94 Senior Judge Richard J. Leon Washington, D.C. 1949 2002–2016 — 2016–present G.W. Bush
95 Senior Judge Rosemary M. Collyer inactive 1945 2002–2016 — 2016–present G.W. Bush
96 Senior Judge Beryl Howell Washington, D.C. 1956 2010–2024 2016–2023 2024–present Obama
99 Senior Judge Amy Berman Jackson Washington, D.C. 1954 2011–2023 — 2023–present Obama
  1. ^ Judge Lamberth has sat with the Western District of Texas for several months each year since 2015.

Former judges

[edit]
# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 David Kellogg Cartter DC 1812–1887 1863–1887 1863–1887 — Lincoln death
2 George P. Fisher DC 1817–1899 1863–1870 — — Lincoln resignation
3 Abram B. Olin DC 1808–1879 1863–1879 — — Lincoln retirement
4 Andrew Wylie DC 1814–1905 1863[Note 1]
1863–1885[Note 2] 		— — Lincoln
Lincoln 		confirmation reconsidered
retirement
5 David Campbell Humphreys DC 1817–1879 1870–1879 — — Grant death
6 Arthur MacArthur Sr. DC 1815–1896 1870–1887 — — Grant retirement
7 Alexander Burton Hagner DC 1826–1915 1879–1903 — — Hayes retirement
8 Walter Smith Cox DC 1826–1902 1879–1899 — — Hayes retirement
9 Charles Pinckney James DC 1818–1899 1879–1892[Note 3] — — Hayes retirement
10 William Matthews Merrick DC 1818–1889 1885–1889[Note 4] — — Cleveland death
11 Martin V. Montgomery DC 1840–1898 1887–1892[Note 5] — — Cleveland resignation
12 Edward Franklin Bingham DC 1828–1907 1887–1903[Note 6] 1887–1903 — Cleveland retirement
13 Andrew Coyle Bradley DC 1844–1902 1889–1902 — — B. Harrison death
14 Louis E. McComas DC 1846–1907 1892–1899[Note 7] — — B. Harrison resignation
15 Charles Cleaves Cole DC 1841–1905 1893–1901 — — B. Harrison resignation
16 Harry M. Clabaugh DC 1856–1914 1899–1903 — — McKinley appointment as chief justice
16.1 Harry M. Clabaugh DC 1856–1914 1903–1914[Note 8] 1903–1914 — T. Roosevelt death
17 Job Barnard DC 1844–1923 1899–1914[Note 9] — — McKinley retirement
18 Thomas H. Anderson DC 1848–1916 1901–1916[Note 10] — — McKinley[Note 11]
T. Roosevelt[Note 12] 		death
19 Ashley Mulgrave Gould DC 1859–1921 1902–1921 — — T. Roosevelt death
20 Jeter Connelly Pritchard DC 1857–1921 1903–1904 — — T. Roosevelt elevation to 4th Cir.
21 Daniel Thew Wright DC 1864–1943 1903–1914 — — T. Roosevelt resignation
22 Wendell Phillips Stafford DC 1861–1953 1904–1931[Note 13] — — T. Roosevelt retirement
23 J. Harry Covington DC 1870–1942 1914–1918 1914–1918 — Wilson resignation
24 Walter I. McCoy DC 1859–1933 1914–1918 — — Wilson appointment as chief justice
24.1 Walter I. McCoy DC 1859–1933 1918–1929 1918–1929 — Wilson retirement
25 Frederick Lincoln Siddons DC 1864–1931 1915–1931 — — Wilson death
26 William Hitz DC 1872–1935 1916–1931[Note 14] — — Wilson elevation to D.C. Cir.
27 Thomas Jennings Bailey DC 1867–1963 1918–1950 — 1950–1963 Wilson death
28 Adolph A. Hoehling Jr. DC 1868–1941 1921–1927 — — Harding resignation
29 Peyton Gordon DC 1870–1946 1928–1941 — 1941–1946 Coolidge death
30 Alfred Adams Wheat DC 1867–1943 1929–1930 — — Hoover appointment as chief justice
30.1 Alfred Adams Wheat DC 1867–1943 1930–1941 1930–1941 1941–1943 Hoover death
31 Jesse Corcoran Adkins DC 1879–1955 1930–1946 — 1946–1955 Hoover death
32 Oscar Raymond Luhring DC 1879–1944 1930–1944 — — Hoover death
33 Joseph Winston Cox DC 1875–1939 1930–1939 — — Hoover death
34 James McPherson Proctor DC 1882–1953 1931–1948 — — Hoover elevation to D.C. Cir.
35 F. Dickinson Letts DC 1875–1965 1931–1961[Note 15] 1958–1959 1961–1965 Hoover death
36 Daniel William O'Donoghue DC 1876–1948 1931–1946[Note 16] — 1946–1948 Hoover death
37 Bolitha James Laws DC 1891–1958 1938–1945 — — F. Roosevelt appointment as chief justice
37.1 Bolitha James Laws DC 1891–1958 1945–1948 1945–1948 — F. Roosevelt appointment as district judge
37.2 Bolitha James Laws DC 1891–1958 1948–1958 1948–1958 — operation of law death
38 Thomas Alan Goldsborough DC 1877–1951 1939–1951 — — F. Roosevelt death
39 James Ward Morris DC 1890–1960 1939–1960 — — F. Roosevelt death
40 David Andrew Pine DC 1891–1970 1940–1965 1959–1961 1965–1970 F. Roosevelt death
41 Matthew Francis McGuire DC 1898–1986 1941–1966 1961–1966 1966–1986 F. Roosevelt death
42 Edward C. Eicher DC 1878–1944 1942–1944 1942–1944 — F. Roosevelt death
43 Henry Albert Schweinhaut DC 1902–1970 1944–1956 — 1956–1970 F. Roosevelt death
44 Alexander Holtzoff DC 1886–1969 1945–1967 — 1967–1969 Truman death
45 Richmond Bowling Keech DC 1896–1986 1946–1966[Note 17] 1966 1966–1986 Truman death
46 Edward Matthew Curran DC 1903–1988 1946–1971[Note 18] 1966–1971 1971–1988 Truman death
47 Edward Allen Tamm DC 1906–1985 1948–1965[Note 19] — — Truman elevation to D.C. Cir.
48 James Robert Kirkland DC 1903–1958 1949–1958[Note 20] — — Truman death
49 Burnita Shelton Matthews DC 1894–1988 1949–1968[Note 21] — 1968–1988 Truman death
50 Charles F. McLaughlin DC 1887–1976 1949–1964[Note 22] — 1964–1976 Truman death
51 Walter M. Bastian DC 1891–1975 1950–1954[Note 23] — — Truman elevation to D.C. Cir.
52 Luther Youngdahl DC 1896–1978 1951–1966 — 1966–1978 Truman death
53 Joseph Charles McGarraghy DC 1897–1975 1954–1967 — 1967–1975 Eisenhower death
54 John Sirica DC 1904–1992 1957–1977 1971–1974 1977–1992 Eisenhower death
55 George Luzerne Hart Jr. DC 1905–1984 1958–1979[Note 24] 1974–1975 1979–1984 Eisenhower death
56 Leonard Patrick Walsh DC 1904–1980 1959–1971 — 1971–1980 Eisenhower death
57 William Blakely Jones DC 1907–1979 1962–1977 1975–1977 1977–1979 Kennedy death
58 Spottswood William Robinson III DC 1916–1998 1964–1966[Note 25] — — L. Johnson elevation to D.C. Cir.
59 Howard Francis Corcoran DC 1906–1989 1965–1977 — 1977–1989 L. Johnson death
60 William B. Bryant DC 1911–2005 1965–1982 1977–1981 1982–2005 L. Johnson death
61 Oliver Gasch DC 1906–1999 1965–1981 — 1981–1999 L. Johnson death
62 John Lewis Smith Jr. DC 1912–1992 1966–1983 1981–1982 1983–1992 L. Johnson death
63 Aubrey Eugene Robinson Jr. DC 1922–2000 1966–1992 1982–1992 1992–2000 L. Johnson death
64 Joseph Cornelius Waddy DC 1911–1978 1967–1978 — — L. Johnson death
65 Gerhard Gesell DC 1910–1993 1967–1993 — 1993–1993 L. Johnson death
66 June Lazenby Green DC 1914–2001 1968–1984 — 1984–2001 L. Johnson death
67 John H. Pratt DC 1910–1995 1968–1989 — 1989–1995 L. Johnson death
68 Barrington D. Parker DC 1915–1993 1969–1985 — 1985–1993 Nixon death
69 Charles Robert Richey DC 1923–1997 1971–1997 — 1997–1997 Nixon death
70 Thomas Aquinas Flannery DC 1918–2007 1971–1985 — 1985–2007 Nixon death
71 Louis F. Oberdorfer DC 1919–2013 1977–1992 — 1992–2013 Carter death
72 Harold H. Greene DC 1923–2000 1978–1995 — 1995–2000 Carter death
73 John Garrett Penn DC 1932–2007 1979–1998 1992–1997 1998–2007 Carter death
74 Joyce Hens Green DC 1928–2024 1979–1995 — 1995–2024 Carter death
75 Norma Holloway Johnson DC 1932–2011 1980–2001 1997–2001 2001–2003 Carter retirement
76 Thomas Penfield Jackson DC 1937–2013 1982–2002 — 2002–2004 Reagan retirement
78 Stanley S. Harris MD 1927–2021 1983–1996 — 1996–2001 Reagan retirement
79 George Hughes Revercomb VA 1929–1993 1985–1993 — — Reagan death
80 Stanley Sporkin MD 1932–2020 1985–1999 — 1999–2000 Reagan retirement
82 Michael Boudin DC 1939–present 1990–1992 — — G. H. W. Bush resignation
84 Gladys Kessler DC 1938–2023 1994–2007 — 2007–2023 Clinton death
86 Ricardo M. Urbina DC 1946–2024 1994–2011 — 2011–2012 Clinton retirement
87 James Robertson DC 1938–2019 1994–2008 — 2008–2010 Clinton retirement
97 Robert L. Wilkins DC 1963–present 2010–2014
—
—
 Obama elevation to D.C. Cir.
101 Ketanji Brown Jackson DC 1970–present 2013–2021 — — Obama elevation to D.C. Cir.
110 Florence Y. Pan DC 1966–present 2021–2022 — — Biden elevation to D.C. Cir.
  1. ^ Confirmed by the United States Senate on March 12, 1863; confirmation was reconsidered on March 13, 1863, with no subsequent vote; his nomination expired March 14, 1863.
  2. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated January 5, 1864; confirmed by the Senate on January 20 and received commission the same day.
  3. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 1, 1879, confirmed by the Senate December 10, 1879, and received commission the same day.
  4. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 14, 1885, confirmed by the Senate March 15, 1856, and received commission the same day.
  5. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 20, 1887, confirmed by the Senate January 26, 1888, and received commission the same day.
  6. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 20, 1887, confirmed by the Senate January 23, 1888, and received commission the same day.
  7. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1892, confirmed by the Senate January 25, 1893, and received commission the same day.
  8. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on November 10, 1903, confirmed by the Senate November 16, 1903, and received commission the same day.
  9. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated December 11, 1899, confirmed by the Senate December 19, 1899, and received commission the same day.
  10. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated December 5, 1901, confirmed by the Senate February 4, 1902, and received commission February 6, 1902.
  11. ^ Judge Anderson was given a recess appointment by President McKinley.
  12. ^ Judge Anderson was nominated by President McKinley but was appointed to the Court by (i.e., received his commission from) President Roosevelt.
  13. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated December 6, 1904, confirmed by the Senate December 13, 1904, and received commission the same day.
  14. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated December 15, 1916, confirmed by the Senate January 2, 1917, and received commission the same day.
  15. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated December 15, 1931, confirmed by the Senate February 17, 1932, and received commission February 20, 1932.
  16. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated December 15, 1931, confirmed by the Senate January 26, 1932, and received commission February 23, 1932.
  17. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated January 8, 1947, confirmed by the Senate January 22, 1947, and received commission January 24, 1947.
  18. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated January 8, 1947, confirmed by the Senate February 3, 1947, and received commission February 5, 1947.
  19. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated January 13, 1949, confirmed by the Senate March 29, 1949, and received commission April 1, 1949.
  20. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate March 8, 1950, and received commission March 9, 1950.
  21. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate April 4, 1950, and received commission April 7, 1950.
  22. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate February 27, 1950, and received commission March 1, 1950.
  23. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated November 27, 1950, confirmed by the Senate December 14, 1950, and received commission December 22, 1950.
  24. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated January 17, 1959, confirmed by the Senate September 9, 1959, and received commission September 10, 1959.
  25. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated February 3, 1964, confirmed by the Senate July 1, 1964, and received commission July 2, 1964.

Chief judges

[edit]
Chief
as Chief Justice
Cartter 1863–1887
Bingham 1887–1903
Clabaugh 1903–1914
Covington 1914–1918
McCoy 1918–1929
Wheat 1930–1941
Eicher 1942–1944
Laws 1945–1948
as Chief Judge
Laws 1948–1958
Letts 1958–1959
Pine 1959–1961
McGuire 1961–1966
Keech 1966
Curran 1966–1971
Sirica 1971–1974
Hart 1974–1975
Jones 1975–1977
Bryant 1977–1981
Smith 1981–1982
A. Robinson 1982–1992
Penn 1992–1997
Johnson 1997–2001
Hogan 2001–2008
Lamberth 2008–2013
Roberts 2013–2016
Howell 2016–2023
Boasberg 2023–present

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

[edit]
  • Associate Justices Clabaugh, McCoy, Wheat and Laws were elevated to Chief Justice.
  • Chief Justice Laws was assigned to the new Seat 13 by operation of law upon the abolition of the Chief Justice Seat 1.

List of U.S. Attorneys

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-08-1124T U.S. Government Accountability Office. AMERICAN SAMOA: Issues Associated with Some Federal Court Options. September 18, 2008. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  2. ^ "Matthew M. Graves Takes Office as United States Attorney". www.justice.gov. November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia and the District of Potomac: Legislative History - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
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