District of Columbia Court of Appeals
| District of Columbia Court of Appeals | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of District of Columbia Court of Appeals | |
| 38°53′43″N 77°1′4″W / 38.89528°N 77.01778°W | |
| Established | 1942 |
| Location | District of Columbia City Hall, Judiciary Square, Washington, DC |
| Coordinates | 38°53′43″N 77°1′4″W / 38.89528°N 77.01778°W |
| Composition method | Presidential nomination with Senate confirmation |
| Authorised by | Derived from the United States Congress |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of the United States (in matters of federal law only) |
| Appeals from | Superior Court of the District of Columbia |
| Judge term length | 15 years |
| Number of positions | 9 |
| Website | dccourts.gov/court-of-appeals |
| Chief judge | |
| Currently | Anna Blackburne-Rigsby |
| Since | March 17, 2017 |
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The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court of the District of Columbia. The court was established in 1942 as the Municipal Court of Appeals, and it has been the court of last resort for matters of D.C. local law since 1970. It and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia compose the District of Columbia's court system. It is located in the former District of Columbia City Hall building at Judiciary Square.
The D.C. Court of Appeals is the equivalent of a state supreme court. Because the District of Columbia is not a U.S. state, however, the court's authority derives from the U.S. Congress rather than from the inherent sovereignty of the states. The D.C. Court of Appeals is sometimes confused with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which is the federal U.S. court of appeals that covers the District of Columbia.