The Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure has adopted comprehensive updates to its Rules focused on Annual Financial Reporting, Precedent, and Judicial Fitness Reviews for associate judge reappointments, senior judge initial appointments and senior judge reappointments. The updates are effective as of March 22, 2024.

The Commission’s adoption of these amended rules is part of its extensive ongoing work to modernize and streamline its operations, improve its use of technology, update its processes to assure consistent standards, effectively track precedent and persuasive authority, and improve accessibility to the Commission on important matters by the public, witnesses, judges, and other stakeholders.  

The amended Rules include the following:

• Rule 2003 (Annual Financial Reports) was substantially rewritten to (i) fully align the Commission’s processes with the statute and present-day standards, and (ii) formally implement updated procedures to facilitate public access requests while maintaining continued sensitivity for the safety and security of judges and their families. Updated   public access request guidance and the Commission’s Form 10-A are available on its website at:  Public Access Request Form and Instructions.
• Rule 2005 (Precedents) was amended to confirm and clarify the Commission’s expectations.
• Rules 2030-2036 (Evaluation of Associate Judge Candidates for Reappointment) were amended to update the Commission’s processes for its evaluation of associate judge candidates for reappointment to fifteen (15) year terms.
• Rules 2037-2043 (Evaluation of Judges Requesting Recommendation for Initial Appointment or Reappointment as Senior Judges) were amended to update the Commission’s processes for its evaluation of requests for recommendations for the initial appointment or reappointment of senior judges for two (2) or four (4) year terms, depending on the judge’s age.  

Each of the amended Rules further reflects the Commission’s transition to a digitized process and its requirement of electronic submissions.

The amended Rules can be found on the Commission’s website at: Commission Rules and on the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations and District of Columbia Register website at DC Register.

The members of the Commission are:

Hon. Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, Chairperson
Hon. Diane M. Brenneman, Ret., Vice Chairperson
Amy Bess, Esq
Dr. Patrick Jackson
Nikki Sertsu
Thomas Fitton
William P. Lightfoot, Esq.

For more information, please contact the Commission’s office at (202) 727-1363 or [email protected], or you may visit the Commission’s website at | cjdt (dc.gov).