An additional judge will be assigned to murder cases on a regular basis at D.C. Superior Court in 2012, bringing the total number of judges regularly assigned to murder cases to five.
The decision to add a judge to the Felony 1 calendar of the District’s most serious cases was made by Chief Judge Lee Satterfield. Satterfield also reassigned certain calendars, meaning that cases that were being heard by one judge in 2011 may be heard by another judge in 2012.
Each year the Chief Judge reviews the calendar assignments and makes adjustments.
Judges who regularly hear murder cases are assigned to one of four— now five— Felony 1 calendars. When a new case enters the system, it is randomly assigned to one of those calendars. When a Felony 1 calendar changes hands, all of the cases transfer over to the new judge.
So, for example, a case that Judge Lynn Leibovitz heard in 2011 will be heard by Judge Ronna Beck in 2012.
Cases will be assigned in 2012 as follows:
The Felony 1, Calendar 1 will stay with Judge William Jackson in 2012.
The Felony 1, Calendar 2 will transfer from Judge Gerald Fisher to Judge Robert Morin.
The Felony 1, Calendar 3 will transfer from Judge Lynn Leibovitz to Judge Ronna Beck.
Felony 1, Calendar 4 will stay with Judge Thomas Motley in 2012.
Felony 1, Calendar 5 (a new calendar) will be assigned to Judge Ann O’Regan Keary.
