Recent News

There was consensus among the groups testifying in support of the Post-Arrest Process Clarification Amendment Act of 2013, Bill #20-323, at a hearing before the DC Council Judiciary Committee on November 21. CCE, along with the DC Metropolitan Police Department, the DC Police Union, the DC Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the DC Office of the Attorney General, largely commented that CCE's report was "excellent" and provided needed clarity for police and citizens. The legislation was co-introduced by DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember Tommy Wells, and co-sponsored by Councilmember Mary Cheh.

The Council for Court Excellence is pleased to present its Compliments and Complaints Guide. This guide gathers in one place information about how to submit compliments or comments and how to make and resolve complaints about any professional in the DC justice system. The information in this guide comes from sixteen courts and agencies in the District that provided details about their compliment and complaint referral process.

The recent posting of a "jury nullification" poster in the Judiciary Square metro resulted in an interesting Washington Post story and brought attention to the issue of jury service, a critical civic responsibility that merits more attention. In 2012, there were about 40,000 people summoned for jury service and almost 500 trials held in both the DC Superior Court and the US District Court for DC.

Thirty years ago next month, justice delayed finally arrived for a pioneer of racial equality, Fred Korematsu. The most famous challenger of the Japanese-American internment had his conviction overturned as a result of information showing the government had withheld vital evidence from the both the Supreme Court and Mr. Korematsu's defense team, led by CCE founder Charles Horsky.

Judges, lawyers, law students, and family and friends of Ronald C. Jessamy gathered last week at the Howard University Law School to witness the Washington Bar Association’s presentation to him of the 35th annual Ollie May Cooper Award, and to hear the 33rd Annual Founder’s Lecture given by Professor Charles J. Ogletree of Harvard Law School.

CCE mourns the loss of Board Director Thomas J. Mikula, who passed away on October 9, 2013. Tom had served as the Board representative for Goodwin Procter since 2007, and as a member of the Executive Committee since 2010. He was a member of the Awards Selection Committee for the annual Justice Potter Stewart Award Dinner since 2009, and served as chair of the committee from 2011 – 2013.

Three CCE Board Directors were recently recognized for their leadership within the Washington, DC legal community. CCE congratulates all of the honorees!

President Obama's recent speech commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington touched on two important issues that CCE is working on - School Discipline and Reentry.

CCE convened, for the first time, a meeting on August 29th for leaders in DC, Maryland and Virginia who oversee unauthorized practice of law (UPL) matters in their respective jurisdictions.

Join CCE Directors and friends on October 14 for a morning of golf at Four Streams Golf Club.

More than 50 regional government, community and other stakeholders gathered last month for a half-day conference on Immigrant Consumer Protection Issues in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The event featured panels on notario fraud and immigration services scams and other consumer related scams targeting immigrants, such as unscrupulous debt collector practices.