Overview
In certain types of cases, the court will appoint a private attorney to represent a person who cannot afford a lawyer. Court-appointed attorneys are part of official court panels. Panel attorneys must meet training and practice standards and are paid by the court at approved rates. The court also maintains lists of other court-appointed opportunities for nonlawyers.
The court-appointed attorneys and professionals fall into three groups—Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorneys, Family Court Panel Attorneys, and Probate Division Panel Attorneys and Professionals. Learn more about these different panels, areas of practice, requirements, and application processes below.
Family Court Panels
The D.C. Superior Court Family Court maintains lists of attorneys who have been vetted and approved to represent indigent parties in several types of family court proceedings.
Panel members are compensated at an hourly rate that is set by statute. The current rate is $110 per hour. Certain compensation limits apply, although there are exceptions to those limits.
Panel members must participate in an initial training to familiarize themselves with panel practice and the subject matter area of the panel. New panel members are assigned a mentor who is a seasoned panel member to assist them as they gain knowledge of the practice area.
All panel members also are required to complete a fixed number of continuing legal education hours each calendar year. Additionally, the court maintains a four-year cycle at which time all existing panel members must re-certify.
Abuse & Neglect (CCAN) – Counsel for Child Abuse & Neglect (CCAN) panel members represent parents and caregivers whose children are the subject of proceedings brought by the government due to concerns of abuse or neglect.
Abuse & Neglect (GAL) – Guardian ad Litem (GAL) panel members represent the best interests of the children who are the subjects of those proceedings.
Juvenile – Juvenile panel members represent children and youth accused by the government of having committed offenses that would be crimes if they were adults.
Mental Health – Mental Health panel members represent individuals who the government seeks to have undergo mental health treatment against their will. The court must consider whether the person is a “danger to self” or a “danger to others” within the meaning of the law.
Mental Habilitation – Mental Habilitation panel members represent individuals who have been found to have intellectual disabilities and come under the jurisdiction of the Family Court.
Juvenile Post-Commitment – Juvenile Post-Commitment panel members represent children and youth throughout their commitment to the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services. The practice standards applicable to this panel are being developed.
Special Education – Members of the Special Education Panel (SPED) represent the Education Decision-Makers of children and youth involved in neglect and juvenile cases. They are usually appointed in an ongoing case when the judge determines that there is a need for a SPED attorney.
CCAN/GAL Panel attorneys sign up online for days they will be available to accept cases. The online signup takes place on the 10th of each month (or next business day if the 10th is a weekend or holiday) between 8:30 and 5:00. Attorneys establish a password protected account on the signup website here.
Attorneys of all experience levels who are enthusiastic and committed to providing high quality representation in Family Court cases are encouraged to apply for the Family Court Panels.
The Family Court is accepting applications from attorneys interested in becoming eligible for the following Family Court Panels: CCAN, GAL, Special Education, Juvenile Delinquency, Post-Commitment Juvenile Attorney, Mental Health and Mental Habilitation.
Any D.C. Bar member in good standing who maintains an office in the D.C. metropolitan area can apply to serve on one or more panels.
The Family Court Panels Committee considers applications during two time periods each calendar year.
- Submit applications by April 30 to be considered during the first time period of the year.
- Submit applications by October 31 to be considered during the second time period.
All panel attorneys must re-certify on a four-year schedule. The next re-certification period will be scheduled in 2027.
Attorney filed applications for the 2023 re-establishment, but were not selected to the panels, must wait for the 2027 re-establishment to re-apply.
Panel applications are considered by a committee comprised of D.C. Superior Court Judges and Magistrate Judges who preside over Family Court cases. While the committee prefers applicants with some exposure to or experience in the subject matter area of the panel applied for, special consideration will be given to applicants who speak Spanish. Panel attorneys must pass a Spanish-language test to be certified to represent Spanish-speaking clients.
Please contact CCANStaff [at] dcsc.gov with any questions about the application process for any of the panels.
Probate Division Panels & Lists
The Superior Court seeks highly qualified attorneys and professionals to serve on its Probate Division appointment lists. These appointments help protect the rights and well-being of individuals involved in estate, guardianship, and conservatorship cases.
- Probate Fiduciary Panel - lawyers who serve as fiduciaries, guardians, guardians ad litem, and visitors in estate, guardianship, and intervention proceedings
- Examiners List - Professionals (e.g., psychiatrists, social workers, gerontologists) who evaluate alleged incapacitated adults and file examiner’s reports.
- Visitors List - Independent investigators (attorneys and health care professionals) who assess circumstances in adult guardianship/protective cases and report to the Court.
- Non-Lawyer Guardian Pilot Project List - Qualified non-lawyer professionals who may be appointed as guardians in Probate cases.
- Guardianship Assistance Program Student Volunteers - Graduate-level social work students who assist as student visitors.
Contact the Probate Division Clerk’s Office for a copy of the application.
Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel and Pro Bono Registry - Court of Appeals
The DC Court of Appeals invites highly qualified lawyers to represent people who are unable to afford a lawyer in a criminal appeal and join either the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel or Pro Bono Registry.
The Court 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.
Court of Appeals CJA Panel - Provides representation to indigent criminal appellants and juvenile respondents.
Court of Appeals Pro Bono Registry - Provides pro bono representation in select civil, family, and other appellate matters.
Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel - Superior Court
The Superior Court invites highly qualified lawyers to represent people in criminal cases who are unable to afford a lawyer.
CJA/CCAN Investigator Panels
Superior Court is seeking qualified candidates to apply to the Criminal Justice Attorney/Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect (CJA/CCAN) Investigator Panel on an emergency basis.
The emergency application period will open on January 1, 2026, and close on June 30, 2026, for new applicants seeking admission to the panel. A decision on the applications will be made by October 1, 2026.
To apply as a new panel member, complete the CJA/CCAN Investigator Panel application. For questions about the application process, please email: IAC [at] @dccsystem.gov
- Please note that participating in the application process is not a guarantee of admission to the panel.
- Candidates with language skills such as speaking or writing in Spanish or other non-English language are encouraged to apply.
- Applications must be submitted to the Defender Services Branch, DC Courts, Budget & Finance Division, Attn: Demitrious Brown, 700 6th St., NW, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20001.
Background check
Applicants must provide proof of submission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a request for a background check (proof may consist of electronic submission receipt, certified mail receipt, etc.), along with other supporting documentation.
Applicants must use the FBI form FD-258, when requesting an FBI background check and to request that the results be returned directly to the D.C. Public Defender Service, 633 3rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, and Attn: Claire Roth, Special Counsel.
The results of an FBI background check may take up to twelve (12) weeks
t is recommended that the submission be made as early as possible to ensure a timely response.
The FBI offers an expedited service for requesting a background check through approved companies who will submit fingerprint information electronically to the FBI’s CJIS Division responsible for conducting the records check.
Visit the FBI’s website for an approved list of companies at the FBI’s website. The companies will charge a fee, require an in-person appointment, and will use Livescan for sending the fingerprints electronically to the FBI’s CJIS Division. The costs associated with the fingerprint check will be assumed by the applicant.
Notification of Admission
Applicants will be notified of their admission to the Panel
Admission is subject to successful completion of the Investigator Certification Course provided by PDS.
Failure to successfully complete the course will disqualify the applicant from advancing to final panel membership.
The course will be free of charge and training materials will be provided at no cost.
Dates and times for the course will be posted at PDS and the Defender Services Branch of the Superior Court’s Budget and Finance Division.
Please contact Claire Roth, Special Counsel, PDS, at croth [at] pdsdc.org (croth[at]pdsdc[dot]org) for more information.
- Superior Court will create and administer identification credentials for qualified CJA/CCAN Panel investigators.
- Court-issued identification credentials shall expire every two years on September 30, beginning September 30, 2012, regardless of the date an investigator was placed on the panel.
- Court-issued identification credentials must be renewed within thirty (30) days of the credentials’ expiration but no later than October 1st in the year of renewal.
- Certified investigators must submit a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint background check every two (2) years as a condition for reissuance of investigator identification credentials.
- Candidates who are disqualified due to a criminal background investi