Supreme Court for the District of Columbia: Hearings and Markups before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Judiciary and Education and the Committee on the District of Columbia on H.R. 3470 and H.R. 4257, October 26 and November 2, 15, 1989, and March 15 and October 2, 1990

• NCJ Number: 149884
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 660 pages
• Corporate Author: US Congress
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Legislative Hearing/Committee Report
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Testimony is on bills to improve and perfect the local court system of the District of Columbia and to establish a supreme court for the District of Columbia.

Abstract

H.R. 3470 would establish a seven-member supreme court in the District of Columbia, authorize eight new judges, upgrade hearing commissioners to magistrates, modify the membership of the Judicial Nomination and Tenure Commissions, and create a Citizens Advisory Committee for the court system. According to the testimony of various witnesses and legal scholars, the D.C. Superior Court needs reorganization and a third tier or court of last resort to handle the increase in the arrest and prosecution of drug- related cases. The hearing on November 2, 1989, was a continuation of oversight and legislative hearings into issues related to the need for the creation of a supreme court. The result was H.R. 4257, the District of Columbia Judicial Reorganization and Supreme Court bill. During the debate, the question was raised concerning the need to amend the bill so as to allow for the authorization of the eight additional judges to be separate from the authorization for the creation of a D.C. Supreme Court. An amendment to achieve this was offered and passed without objection.