Operating Status
ShareCriminal Justice Act (CJA) Attorneys
DCCA Seeking Attorneys to Represent Indigent Appellants
The DC Court of Appeals is seeking attorneys to represent indigent appellants in criminal appeals on both a paid and pro bono basis.
From April 14, 2025, through May 19, 2025, the court will accept new applications from qualified attorneys who wish to serve on its Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel. (Attorneys currently serving on the CJA Panel need not re-apply in order to remain on the panel.) The application to serve on the CJA panel is available here.
The court also is accepting, on a rolling basis, applications from attorneys interested in working on criminal appeals pro bono. The application to be included on the pro bono registry is available here.
For more information, please see the court’s announcement.
Court of Appeals
Attorneys appointed by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) will find on this page links to documents of interest and of use in their practice before the court. You can find other material, including court rules and forms, elsewhere on this website.
The DC Court of Appeals maintains its own list of attorneys eligible for appointment under the Criminal Justice Act. This is a closed panel; the Court opens the panel up once a year (usually the beginning of June) for new applicants to apply. The court issues an announcement of when the court will accept applications and the requirement and at that time will have the application available on the website.
| PDF Name | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| CJA Panel Notice 2025 | Download |
| 2025 Application to Join The Court OF Appeals CJA Panel | Download |
| 2025 Application to Join PRO BONO Registry | Download |
| Voucher Guidelines for Attorneys Appointed by the DC Court of Appeals Under the District of Columbia Criminal Justice Act (February 2025) | Download |
| Order Establishing CLE Requirement for CJA attorneys (Sept. 2003) | Download |
| CJA Plan | Download |
| 2009 CJA Plan | Download |
| 2008 CJA Plan | Download |
| Obligations of CJA Counsel in the DCCA (August 2023) | Download |
| CJA - Certification regarding counsel on appeal | Download |
| Notice Concerning Annual CLE Requirement (April 2006) | Download |
| CJA - CLE year end certification | Download |
| Joint Committee Order of June 17, 1991 | Download |
| Statement Regarding Transcript (Criminal Cases) | Download |
| CJA-CCAN Hourly Rates and Statutory Limits for DCCA Appeals | Download |
Superior Court
Note: All applicants must submit the updated application, dated June 2024. Superior Court will not consider older versions.
| PDF Name | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| Current CJA Panel Application | Download |
| Order 23-07: CJA Fee Schedule | Download |
| Order 23-04: Announcement of the Regular Reestablishment of the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys in 2024 | Download |
| Order 22-32: Recertification of the CJA/CCAN Investigator Panel Members | Download |
| Order 22-24: Extension of the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 22-03: Extension of the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 21-16: Extension of and Additions to the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 21-03: Additions to the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 20-12: Additions to the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 20-06: Additions to the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 19-13: Additions to the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 19-03: Additions to the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 18-09: Additions to the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 18-04: Re-establishment of the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys | Download |
| Order 18-04 Attachment: Criminal Justice Act Panel of Attorneys Report | Download |
| Order 17-17: Regular Re-establishment of the CJA Panel | Download |
| Obligation to CJA Attorneys to Sign Up for Appointment in New Cases | Download |
| Application of CJA Provisional Attorney for Full Panel Membership- 2025 | Download |
