Starting next Tuesday, one of the busiest courts in the nation will have a new chief judge. Judge Milton C. Lee Jr. will take over as chief judge for D.C. Superior Court.
Lee takes the helm as the court continues to cope with a shortage of judges.
“That has an impact on our ability to manage cases and process what comes before us every day,” Lee said.
Right now, D.C. Superior Court has eight judge vacancies, and next week, when Chief Judge Anita Josey-Herring retires, that number will rise to nine.
Six of the nominees have had hearings, but they still need Senate approval. The D.C. Court of Appeals, which normally has nine judges, has been down two judges for several years.
As he takes over for Josey-Herring, Lee said keeping the court running with too few judges will be the greatest challenge as he works with fewer resources.
“You’re going to see cases rising in the criminal and civil branches, on the probate side and on the family side. We have to meet that demand,” Lee said. “The number one focus for me is to make sure that we can motivate all the people here, put them in the very best position they can be in to accomplish our task.”
As D.C. continues to struggle with crime, Lee responded to comments made in the past by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Mathew Graves, and others who accused the court of “inadequate sentences.”
“I am confident in the work that they (the judges) are doing, that they administer the highest levels of justice to everyone that comes down to our campus,” Lee said.
Court security concerns
Across the nation, courts have also been dealing with an uptick in threats, which target courts as high as the U.S. Supreme Court. Judges have also fallen victim to violence, including the recent murder of a judge in rural Kentucky, allegedly by the hands of a sheriff.
Last year, Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson was killed by a man after the judge awarded full custody of his accused killer’s children to the man’s ex-wife.
Lee said security for judges is something he takes very seriously.
“We have to recognize where we are, make sure we respond appropriately, so that we take the best steps that we can for safety for everyone.” Lee said.
He said keeping the courthouse safe is something he plans to work on with court security officers and U.S. Marshals. He said he intends on keeping everyone who visits the courthouse safe, including its judges.
“The judges of Superior Court live in the District of Columbia,” Lee said. “They’re regular, everyday folks, and we have to do what we need to do to make sure they are safe, as well as their families.”
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