District of Columbia Courts Improvement Act of 2020

District of Columbia Courts Improvement Act of 2020

This bill revises provisions related to jurors, magistrates, and other judicial officers, and otherwise makes changes to provisions related to the District of Columbia courts.

The bill expands authority for magistrate judges of the District's courts to perform certain judicial functions, including to issue arrest and search warrants, and punish an individual for contempt.

The bill (1) provides that grand and petit jurors serving in the Superior Court of the District must receive fees and expenses equivalent to those provided to jurors serving in the U.S. district courts, (2) allows service of prospective jurors to be made by electronic communication, and (3) permits individuals 70 years of age or older to opt-out of jury service.

The Joint Committee on Judicial Administration in the District and the District's Public Defender Service may each establish a voluntary separation incentive payments program for its employees substantially similar to that for certain federal employees and members of the uniformed services, except that the maximum payment amount to any individual may not exceed $25,000.

The bill removes provisions for fixed hourly rates for legal representation of indigent defendants and criminal investigative and expert services for such defendants.

The bill revises appointment and removal authority for the Executive Officer of the District's courts to include the Register of Wills.

The District's courts may give retroactive pay increases to employees on board at the time an increase is ordered, and to those that have retired (not resigned) or died between the date the increase becomes effective and the date it is ordered.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov