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Anna Blackburne-Rigsby
2006 - Present
2029
19
Anna Blackburne-Rigsby is a judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. She assumed office in 2006. Her current term ends on March 17, 2029.
Blackburne-Rigsby was appointed to the court in August 2006 by President George W. Bush (R), and began serving as Chief Justice on March 18, 2017.[1] To read more about judicial selection in Washington D.C., click here.
Biography
Judge Blackburne-Rigsby received her B.A. in political science from Duke University, where she was awarded the President's Leadership Award. She received her J.D. from Howard University School of Law in 1987.[1] She worked in private practice from 1987 to 1992, and as the District of Columbia Special Counsel to the Corporation Counsel from 1992 to 1995. In 1995 Blackburne-Rigsby became a Magistrate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, she became an Associate Judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in 2000. Blackburne-Rigsby was appointed to be a Judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in 2006, and in 2017 was appointed Chief Justice.[1]
Appointments
2006
Blackburne-Rigsby was appointed to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in August 2006 by President George W. Bush (R).[1]
State supreme court judicial selection in Washington, D.C.
- See also: Judicial selection in Washington, D.C.
The nine judges on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals are selected through the assisted appointment method. The District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission (JNC) releases a notice of judicial vacancy, and interested individuals submit application materials to the commission. The JNC is composed of seven members, each serving six-year terms, except the member appointed by the President who serves a five-year term. The commission evaluates applicants and may choose to conduct interviews or solicit feedback from the public.[2] Three individuals are recommended to the President of the United States by the commission for each vacancy. The President names an appointee from that list who then, like federal judges, must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.[2]
Judges serve for 15 years after their appointment. Eligibility for reappointment is determined by the District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure. The commission solicits feedback on and evaluates judges interested in another term. If a judge is found to be "well qualified," he or she is automatically reappointed. "Qualified" judges may be reappointed and go through the same process as a first-time nominee. If the President chooses to not reappoint a judge, or if the commission determines that a judge is "unqualified," the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission starts a new search.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on the court of appeals, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a D.C. area resident for at least five years prior to his or her appointment;
- an active member of the D.C. bar for at least 5 years, or a professor at a D.C. law school, or an attorney employed by the U.S. or D.C. government; and
- under the age of 74 (retirement at 74 is mandatory).[3][4]
Selection of the chief judge
The chief judge of the court is designated by the judicial nominating commission. He or she serves in that capacity for four years.[3]
Vacancies
When a vacancy occurs, the President of the United States appoints a successor from a list of names provided by a nominating commission. The appointment requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
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Officeholder District of Columbia Court of Appeals |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 District of Columbia courts, "Court of Appeals: Anna Blackburne-Rigsby," accessed March 18, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The District of Columbia, "Judicial Nomination Commission: Frequently Asked Questions," accessed September 15, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 American Judicature Society, "Judicial selection in Washington, D.C.," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Judges must retire from active service at 74. They may apply for appointment as a senior judge after age 74.
