Attorneys may seek appointment to the CJA Attorney Panel or to one of the Family Court Attorney Panels. The application process is administered by the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, and relevant information is available on the Court's website.
Current applications can be obtained from the Court.
The application process is administered by the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. Detailed guidelines, as well as the application itself and instructions for the required background check, are available at CJADC.ORG.
All eligible applicants must successfully complete the Investigator Certification Course administered by PDS as part of their application to become a certified investigator. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to Demetrious Brown,
Chief, Defender Services Branch, Superior Court, Budget and Finance Division, 510 4th Street N.W., Suite 307.10, Washington, D.C. 20001.
Questions regarding the Investigator Certification Course should be directed to .
All CJA Panel attorneys are required to attend an eight (8) hour training program administered by PDS.
The CLE requirements for new members of the Family Court Attorney Panels vary by panel. Upcoming training programs are scheduled as soon as possible after the newest members of a particular panel have been selected and the Court has issued corresponding
administrative orders.
Questions regarding new panel training programs should be directed to .
The CJADC.ORGwebsite is a password-protected platform that provides valuable resources and legal support for attorneys in case preparation. It includes web-based content for attorneys and investigators, training materials, sample motions, and various forms. The website also provides essential tools such as an electronic calendar that allows attorneys to sign up for case pick-up dates and video conferencing at the D.C. Jail. Additionally, it provides an individualized attendance report for all PDS-sponsored trainings, ensuring that attorneys and investigators stay on top of their professional development.
If you are a panel attorney or investigator, please go to CJADC to sign in, connect with other practitioners, and access resources. If you encounter difficulty or have any questions about web content, please contactFor questions about investigator resources, please contact
The website CJADC.ORGprovides directories for panel attorneys to connect with panel investigators. For more information on individual panel investigators, please contact .
The website CJADC.ORGprovides a resource directory for panel investigators to contact attorneys. For assistance in locating an attorney, please contact.
The CJADC.ORG website has a number of resources geared towards use by CJA practitioners, including sample motions, expert materials, financial forms, and other practice materials.
General questions regarding the Court’s online web voucher system should be sent to [email protected].
New members of the CJA attorney panel are granted a two-year provisional membership term. Applications for continued membership are due by 5:00 p.m. of the first of the month preceding the expiration of the two-year provisional term.
Failure to file a timely application will expire the attorney’s term as a panel member. No notice will be provided regarding the failure to complete the application. More information is available on the Court's website.
Panel members are advised that periodic re-establishment of the CJA and Family Court Panels occurs every four years. All panel members wishing to continue their membership are required to reapply. Additional information is available on the Court's website.
PDS offers several free training programs during the year. In addition to our Deborah T. Creek Criminal Practice Institute: Summer and Fall Series (formerly the Criminal Practice Institute and Criminal Defender Training Program) and Forensic Science Conference, PDS also periodically holds trainings for new members of the various CJA panels. These programs are designed for members of the CJA panels, though seats are generally made available to other interested advocates on a space-available basis.
All panel attorneys are required annually to complete a certain number of CLE hours relating to their areas of practice. Specific requirements vary according to panel. More information is available on the Court's website.
PDS’s nationally recognized Criminal Practice Institute Manual (CPI Manual), is the only comprehensive treatise on the criminal law in the District of Columbia. The CPI Manual is updated periodically, and the editorial staff strives to anticipate the needs of District of Columbia criminal practitioners for information and resources needed to assist them in their practice. The below downloads are free.
