DC Court of Appeals Extends Public Comment Period on Proposal for Online Documents

On February 12, 2021, the DC Court of Appeals requested public comments on how the court could best make documents filed in the court electronically available to the general public.  The goal of the effort is to further access to justice for the community, not only during the pandemic, but also to make it easier to access public court documents in the future. The court indicated that written comments should be submitted by March 12, 2021. The court has now extended the comment period by one month. Written comments therefore may be submitted by April 12, 2021. 

The Court's notice requesting public comment on a proposal, read, in part:

"This court is exploring how best to make documents filed in the court — briefs, appendices, transcripts, and record materials from trial-court and agency proceedings — electronically available to the general public to the extent feasible. The court intends to require that such materials be subject to appropriate redactions and other procedures to protect confidential and other sensitive information and to comply with any laws limiting or prohibiting the dissemination of such information. Before drafting rules and procedures concerning such public access, the court would like the benefit of general comments and/or specific suggestions from the public and potentially interested parties."

Comments must be submitted by April 12 and may be submitted via email (addressed to rules@dcappeals.gov) or in writing (addressed to the Clerk, D.C. Court of Appeals, 430 E Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001).  All comments submitted will be available to the public.

The February 12  court order may be found here: https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/M274-21%20Notice%20regarding%20how%20best%20to%20make%20pleadings%20electronically%20available%20to%20the%20Public.pdf 

All Court orders are included on this page:  https://www.dccourts.gov/court-of-appeals/orders 

Oral arguments at the DC Court of Appeals may be viewed on the DCCA YouTube channel.