Guides and Resources
Accessible resources to help D.C. residents understand and navigate the District’s complicated legal systems.
Why create community legal resources?
Most people don’t have a lawyer on retainer that they can call anytime a legal issue arises in their life. Far too many people have to navigate aspects of our courts or legal systems without the advice of an expert. In order to ensure that these various government systems and institutions serve all people equitably, it is vital that anyone can understand the processes and laws that might apply to them or their loved ones.
For those reasons, CCE has been committed throughout our history to developing and publishing a range of community guides and resources that are designed to help an average resident understand and navigate specific aspects of our courts or legal system.
How CCE is Helping
To create these community guides and explainers, CCE brings together experts, including lawyers, judges, and other professionals, to develop accurate and understandable tools for D.C. residents, the media, and other potential advocates. We work to make sure these resources explain the law and processes in simple language and break down otherwise complicated systems.
Check out our YouTube Channel
As part of our commitment to creating free educational content available to all residents of D.C., we produce educational videos on a range of justice issues on our YouTube channel. Check it out to learn more about our history, how probate works, see recordings of CCE events, and more.
Share the information
We rely on partnerships with other organizations around the District – including service providers, libraries, houses of worship, government offices, and others – to help disseminate our helpful resources. If you would like to work with CCE to host an educational session about one of our guides, or get copies of one of our publications, please contact CCE Policy and Education Associate, Marissa Ramirez at marissa.ramirez@courtexcellence.org. Also, let us know if you have an idea for a much-needed new guide about D.C.’s legal systems or laws!
Publications and Resources
- When Adults Need Help Making Decisions and Managing Daily Affairs: A Non-Lawyer’s Guide to D.C.’s Legal Tools for Assisting Adults (2019)
- The Victims Guide to the District of Columbia Justice System in English, Spanish, and Amharic (2017)
- Compliments and Complaints Guide (2013)
- Journalists’ Handbook to the Courts in the District of Columbia
- How the District Gets Its Judges
- Guide to the D.C. Juvenile Justice System
- Community Guide to the Courts, in English and Spanish (2008)
- Personal Affairs Record Book, in English (2009) and Spanish (2005)