Council for Court Excellence

Council for Court Excellence [CCE] projects are overseen by four standing program committees: Criminal Justice, Youth Justice, Justice Education, and Civil Justice.

Criminal Justice
Since CCE’s inception in 1982, the Criminal Justice Committee has diligently researched the most important, urgent issues facing the District of Columbia’s criminal justice system, and recommended policy and practice reforms to benefit everyone involved, from defendants, victims, prosecutors and defense attorneys, to judges, law enforcement, and corrections personnel.
Over the last 37 years, the Criminal Justice Committee has worked on issues as varied as sentencing reform, police overtime, criminal record sealing and expungement, disorderly conduct statutes, perceptions of public safety, barriers to employment for returning citizens, and the treatment afforded people with mental illness by the criminal justice system. Recommendations by the Criminal Justice Committee are taken seriously by DC Council, the courts, and other institutions within the criminal justice system, and have resulted in amendments to the criminal code and the creation of several laws regarding re-entry from prison and jail.

Youth Justice
Since 1982, CCE’s Youth Justice Committee has worked to improve outcomes for DC youth involved in the juvenile justice, criminal, and child welfare systems. To this end, the committee researches and analyzes local youth justice issues, publishes reports documenting its findings, and advocates for changes to local juvenile justice laws, systems, and policies.
The Youth Justice Committee has achieved significant success over the past 37 years. In 1988, the committee developed the Practice Manual for Child Abuse and Neglect Cases in DC. This project led the committee to focus its efforts on improving the child welfare system. From 1992 to 2012, the committee facilitated collaboration among DC child welfare leaders, monitored District compliance with the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act, and published biannual progress reports tracking systemic improvements. Another accomplishment of the committee is its 2009 Guide to the DC Juvenile Justice System, a plain English overview of how the DC juvenile justice system functions. CCE has distributed thousands of copies of this guide throughout the DC community and also has conducted community training sessions based on its content. The committee’s most recent major project was its 2015 report Equity in School Discipline, an overview of DC school discipline procedures and policies.

Justice Education
Since 1982, CCE’s Justice Education Committee has educated the District of Columbia community about local justice issues. To this end, the committee publishes plain English guides concerning DC justice issues, and also conducts presentations based on these guides throughout the community.
Over the past 37 years, CCE’s Justice Education Committee has published eight community guides, including its earliest publication When Someone Dies: A Non-Lawyer’s Guide to Probate in Washington, DC, and its more recent When an Adult Needs Decision-making Help: Legal Tools Available in the District of Columbia. The committee has also sponsored legal trainings for attorneys and judges. For several years, the committee partnered with the DC Superior Court to execute jury service appreciation events at the courthouse. Since 1991, the committee has sponsored the School Jury Education Project, through which local and federal judges teach high school students about serving on a jury in the District of Columbia.

Civil Justice
Since 1982, CCE’s Civil Justice Committee has worked to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the D.C. courts. Notable past projects have included jury reform and modernization, probate reform, civil case delay reduction, increasing public access to electronic court records, and improving D.C.’s administrative adjudication system, among others. The projects have resulted in studies and reports recommending improvements to the District’s court and related systems.