District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Washington · A court of last resort in the District of Columbia.
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court of the District of Columbia. Its judges are chosen by presidential appointment and U.S. Senate confirmation. This page lists every judge to serve on the court, current and former, with when they joined the bench and whom they succeeded.
Current bench verified against the court’s official roster, 2026-07-02.
Current judges
- Chief JudgeAnna Blackburne-Rigsby
- John M. Steadman
- Vanessa Ruiz
- Stephen H. Glickman
- Eric T. Washington
- Phyllis D. Thompson
- Corinne A. Beckwith
- Catharine F. Easterly
- Roy W. McLeese III
- Joshua Deahl
- John P. Howard III
- Vijay Shanker
Former judges
How a judge reaches this court. Judges of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals are nominated by the U.S. President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to 15-year terms. Candidates come from the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and reappointment to further 15-year terms is reviewed by a tenure commission. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any judge to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.
Source: Current roster: District of Columbia Courts — Court of Appeals Judges (dccourts.gov) and CourtListener / Free Law Project (bulk data); selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data as of 2026-07-02 (official roster); historical bench 2026-03-31 (CourtListener bulk snapshot). Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).