Digital Library

This report examines the progress made by the DC criminal justice system to implement the 27 recommendations of the Council for Court Excellence’s 2001 study, entitled A Roadmap to a Better DC Criminal Justice System. Two Years Down the Road found that progress had been made to re-engineer misdemeanor case processing, but that felony cases were being processed much the same way as reported in 2001.

CCETestimony to the DCCouncil Committee on the Judiciary regarding the Uniform Trust Act of 2003, Bill 15-0234

CCETestimony to the DC Council Committee on the Judiciary regarding the Corporation Counsel Subpoena Authority Act Of 2001, Bill 14-0321

This report has two purposes: a) to increase public accountability of the District of Columbia's child abuse and neglect system, and b) to increase the community's understanding of that system. This is the CCE's first public report on the progress made by the leaders of the DC child welfare system to bring the District of Columbia into compliance with the federal and local Adoption and Safe Families Acts ("ASFA"). Please call 202.785.5917 to order over the phone.

The court community observers project used trained community volunteers to observe individual DC Superior Court criminal court hearings and related court functions during the spring of 2002. Volunteers recorded their observations and the Council for Court Excellence published the major findings in this report to the courts and to the community. Please call 202.785.5917 to order over the phone.

CCETestimony to the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the performance of the District of Columbia Courts

Practical recommendations by CCEto improve the civil case trial process in the DCSuperior Court, with an emphasis on the court's alternative dispute resolution program. The report examined the implementaion progress of a prior CCEcivil case processing study and found that the CCErecommendations adopted by the Superior Court in the early 1990s were working well and had significantly reduced the time to disposition of most civil cases.

Revised in 1999, the D.C. Victim's Guide is an accessible, easy-to-understand reference for a victim, their family or friends, or a witness of a crime who needs to better understand the steps involved in bringing a case to trial and the victim/witness' role in this process. Please call 202.785.5917 to order over the phone.

In the District of Columbia and many other cities locating property stolen from you is only half the battle to recovering it. Should the police find your property, the prosecuting attorney often will hold it for identification purposes or as evidence in a trial. This easy-to-understand brochure helps you understand and navigate the procedures you need to follow to get your property returned to you. Please call 202.785.5917 to order over the phone.

The D.C. Victims Rights Amendment Act of 1988 provides victims of a violent crime with the opportunity to file a victim impact statement to be considered by a judge at the time of sentencing. This brochure helps you understand your rights as a victim of crime, and explains how to complete a victim impact statement form. Please call 202.785.5917 to order over the phone.

($55 for video and Teacher's Guide). Through a 22-minute dramatization of an actual murder trial, this Council for Court Excellence interactive educational video places secondary school level and above students on a jury receiving instructions from an actual judge on issues they must consider when deciding the case. A companion Teacher's Guide contains background information on the jury system, discussion questions, suggested exercises and readings, and follow-up issues relating to the student's jury experience. The video and Teacher's Guide have been distributed to school systems, courts, and bar groups in over 25 states. Please call 202.785.5917 to order over the phone.