§ 11-908A — Special rules regarding assignment and service of judges of Family Court.

(1) The number of judges serving on the Family Court of the Superior Court shall be not more than 15.

(2) If the chief judge determines that, in order to carry out the intent and purposes of the District of Columbia Family Court Act of 2001, an emergency exists such that the number of judges needed on the Family Court of the Superior Court at any time is more than 15—

(A) the chief judge may temporarily reassign judges from other divisions of the Superior Court to serve on the Family Court who meet the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (3) of subsection (b) or senior judges who meet the requirements of those paragraphs, except such reassigned judges shall not be subject to the term of service requirements set forth in subsection (c); and

(B) the chief judge shall, within 30 days of emergency temporary reassignment pursuant to subparagraph (A), submit a report to the President and Congress describing—

(i) the nature of the emergency;

(ii) how the emergency was addressed, including which judges were reassigned; and

(iii) whether and why an increase in the number of Family Court judges authorized in subsection (a)(1) may be necessary to serve the needs of families and children in the District of Columbia.

(3) The total number of judges on the Superior Court may exceed the limit on such judges specified in § 11-903 to the extent necessary to maintain the requirements of this subsection if—

(A) the number of judges serving on the Family Court is less than 15; and

(B) the Chief Judge of the Superior Court—

(i) is unable to secure a volunteer judge who is sitting on the Superior Court outside of the Family Court for reassignment to the Family Court;

(ii) obtains approval of the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration; and

(iii) reports to Congress regarding the circumstances that gave rise to the necessity to exceed the cap.

(b) The chief judge may not assign an individual to serve on the Family Court of the Superior Court or handle a Family Court case unless—

(1) the individual has training or expertise in family law;

(2) the individual certifies to the chief judge that the individual intends to serve the full term of service, except that this paragraph shall not apply with respect to individuals serving as senior judges under § 11-1504 , individuals serving as temporary judges under § 11-908 , and any other judge serving in another division of the Superior Court who is reassigned on an emergency temporary basis pursuant to subsection (a)(2);

(3) the individual certifies to the chief judge that the individual will participate in the ongoing training programs carried out for judges of the Family Court under § 11-1104(c) ; and

(4) the individual meets the requirements of section 433 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act [D.C. Official Code § 1-204.33 ].

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), an individual assigned to serve as a judge of the Family Court of the Superior Court shall serve for a term of 3 years.

(A) An individual assigned to serve as a judge of the Family Court of the Superior Court who is serving as a judge of the Superior Court on the date of the enactment of the District of Columbia Family Court Act of 2001 [January 8, 2002], shall serve for a term of not fewer than 3 years.

(B) In the case of a judge of the Superior Court who is serving as a judge in the Family Division of the Court on the date of the enactment of the District of Columbia Family Court Act of 2001 [January 8, 2002], the 3-year term applicable under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall be reduced by the length of any period of consecutive service as a judge in such Division immediately preceding the date of the enactment of such Act [January 8, 2002].

(3) After the term of service of a judge of the Family Court (as described in paragraph (1)) expires, at the judge’s request and with the approval of the chief judge, the judge may be assigned for additional service on the Family Court for a period of such duration (consistent with section 431(c) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act [ § 1-204.31(c) ]) as the chief judge may provide.

(4) At the request of the judge and with the approval of the chief judge, a judge may serve as a judge of the Family Court for the judge’s entire term of service as a judge of the Superior Court under section 431(c) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act [ § 1-204.31(c) ].

(d) The chief judge may reassign a judge of the Family Court to any division of the Superior Court if the chief judge determines that in the interest of justice the judge is unable to continue serving in the Family Court.

Legislative History

Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2101, Pub. L. 107-114, § 3(a); Aug. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 847, Pub. L. 107-206, § 406; Dec. 12, 2012, 126 Stat. 1611, Pub. L. 112-229, § 4(a)