The Honorable Sean Staples

Judge Sean C. Staples was nominated to be an associate judge of D.C. Superior Court by Joseph R. Biden Jr. in July 2021 and confirmed by the Senate in February 2022.

Judge Staples served as a magistrate judge in D.C. Superior Court from December of 2013 until his confirmation as an associate judge. As a magistrate judge he presided in the Criminal, Domestic Violence, and Family Divisions.

Before serving as a judicial officer, Mr. Staples was Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Project Director at Children’s Law Center overseeing the work of 45 attorneys and support staff in the representation of hundreds of children in the District of Columbia’s abuse and neglect system. Prior to his work at CLC, Mr. Staples was a clinical professor in the criminal division of the D.C. Law Students in Court Program (now Rising for Justice). He taught criminal trial practice and procedure and supervised law students in the representation of adults and juveniles in D.C. Superior Court.

Early in his career he worked as an assistant public defender in Fairfax, VA and as a sole practitioner in the District of Columbia. He has tried dozens of cases in criminal and family courts. He is former co-chair of the Courts, Lawyers and Administration of Justice Steering Committee of the D.C. Bar.

Judge Staples received his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and graduated magna cum laude from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law. He served as a judicial clerk for then Associate Judge Robert E. Morin in D.C. Superior Court. Prior to law school he was a legislative assistant and assistant press secretary to Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr. in New York’s 19th congressional district.