Welcome
Welcome to the District of Columbia Courts.
The Courts are here to serve you, and we hope that this information
will make it easier for you to complete your business with
us. If you have any suggestions about how we might better
assist you, please leave a note in any of the suggestion boxes
located throughout the Courts, or contact the Executive Office,
Room 1500, 500 Indiana Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001.
(202) 879-1700.
The D.C. Courts are comprised of the D.C. Court
of Appeals, the Superior Court of D.C., and the Court System,
which provides administrative support to both courts.
The mission of the District of Columbia Courts
is to protect rights and liberties, uphold and interpret the
law, and resolve disputes peacefully, fairly and effectively
in the Nation's Capital.
- The D.C. Courts are the third branch of the District of
Columbia government. (The Mayor presides over the executive
branch and the Council of the District of Columbia is the
legislative branch). The Courts hear and decide cases based
on the evidence and the applicable law.
- There are close to 100 judges in the two courts as well
as 24 magistrate judges and a professional staff of approximately
1,200.
- The D.C. Courts are funded by the Federal government;
the Courts' budget request is submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget for presidential recommendation and
then to the U.S. Congress. The Courts also submit their
budget to the Mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia.
- The Courts' fiscal year 2009 annual budget is $248 million ($172 million operating expenses and $76 million for capital costs). In addition, the Defender Services budget for indigent representation is $52 million.
- Under the Criminal Justice Act, the D.C. Courts are required
to fund legal representation for indigent adults in criminal
cases and for indigent juveniles charged as delinquents.
The Public
Defender Service provides some indigent services, however,
most appointments are to private attorneys serving under
the CJA.
For the convenience of those with business at the court,
there is a Child Care Center and a cafeteria on the C Street
level of the Moultrie Courthouse. The cafeteria is open 7:30a.m.
to 2:30p.m. The child
care center is open from 8:30a.m. to 5p.m. and is located
in room C-185.
^ back to top
|
