DC Courts Announce Members of New History Hall Commission

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The District of Columbia Courts announced the creation of a newly established DC Courts History Hall Commission, which will study the feasibility of creating a nonprofit historical society dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the DC Courts.

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals established the commission by administrative order on October 7, 2026, for an initial 12-month term. The commission is charged with assessing the feasibility of establishing a nonprofit District of Columbia Courts Historical Society that would raise funds for and support the development of an archive and History Hall for the District of Columbia Courts, including the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

“We have been dreaming of ways to preserve and share the story of the DC Courts more fully and more permanently,” said Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby of the DC Court of Appeals. “This commission will study the creation of a nonprofit historical society dedicated to preserving our judicial heritage, including our records, portraits, artifacts, documents, and oral histories, so that they are not lost to time.”

The initiative recognizes the important role the DC Courts have played in administering justice, developing jurisprudence, and shaping local and national history. It also responds to the need to collect, preserve, catalog, and share judicial artifacts, portraits, documents, oral histories, and other records related to the courts, their judges, and the legal professionals who have practiced before them.

The following individuals have been appointed to serve:

• Shirley Higuchi, Co-Chair
• Ellen Jakovic, Co-Chair
• Phil Inglima
• Josh Mogil
• Ben Wilson
• Doug Nelson
• Dean William Treanor
• Former Chief Judge Eric Washington
• Laura Moorer
• Herb Rouson, Jr., Executive Officer, District of Columbia Courts

“I am delighted that Shirley Higuchi and Ellen Jakovic, two exceptional leaders whose experience and dedication will guide this important effort, have agreed to co-chair the commission,” said Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby. “By preserving and sharing our history, we strengthen the foundation on which our courts and our community continue to grow.”

Commission members bring experience and demonstrated interest in areas such as legal history, archival preservation, nonprofit development, museum administration, and civic leadership. They will serve without compensation, and any recommendations will be issued in the name of the commission rather than its individual members or the institutions they represent.

The proposed historical society would be structured as an independent, private nonprofit organization capable of seeking public and private grants, accepting tax-deductible charitable contributions, and mobilizing volunteer support for historical preservation and community education initiatives.

Through this effort, the District of Columbia Courts seek to deepen public understanding of constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and the judiciary’s role as a co-equal branch of government. The preservation and presentation of judicial history could also support historians, educators, students, members of the bar, District residents, and the public.

The commission may request an extension beyond its initial 12-month term by documenting measurable progress toward establishing a DC Courts Historical Society.

About the DC Courts

The District of Columbia Courts comprise the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the District’s highest court, and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the District’s trial court of general jurisdiction.