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Letter of Support for The Honorable Errol R. Arthur, Nominee for Associate Judge, D.C. Superior Court (January 12, 2021)

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January 12, 2021

Via Email and U.S. Mail
dc.jnc@dc.gov
Tracy Brinkley Nutall, Executive Director
D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission
515 5th Street NW, Suite 235
Washington, D.C. 20001

Re: Support for The Honorable Errol R. Arthur for the Position of Associate Judge, Superior Court for the District of Columbia

Dear Honorable Members of the Judicial Nomination Commission:

Washington Council of Lawyers is pleased to express its support for The Honorable Errol R. Arthur for the position of Associate Judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. It is based upon Judge Arthur’s extensive legal experience, impressive teaching credentials, unwavering community service and distinguished work as a Magistrate Judge that Washington Council of Lawyers submits this letter of support and urges the Judicial Nomination Commission to consider Magistrate Judge Arthur for appointment to this position.

Washington Council of Lawyers is the public-interest bar association for the District of Columbia. Our membership includes lawyers from all sectors of the legal community, legal professionals, law students, and others committed to advancing access to justice issues in our community. Washington Council of Lawyers supports strong judicial candidates who have shown a firm commitment to promoting equal access to justice and serving marginalized populations. Magistrate Judge Arthur’s legal career is consistent with our mission of public and
professional service.

Prior to and during his tenure as a Magistrate Judge, Judge Arthur has sought to use his position to benefit others by serving on numerous committees and panel discussions geared towards access to justice for all and ensuring that the court process is fair and equitable for all parties. Following a judicial clerkship with the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, he worked as a Staff Attorney with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, representing indigent clients in criminal, delinquency, and administrative matters before the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the United States Parole Commission, and the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. He also coordinated special education services and social services for clients in need.

Magistrate Judge Arthur started his own law firm in 2002, where he represented clients in criminal, family, civil and administrative matters in the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland. He expanded his law firm in 2004 and continued to represent clients in criminal, family, civil and administrative matters.

Magistrate Judge Arthur became an Adjunct Professor/Supervising Attorney in the Criminal Justice Clinic at Howard University School of Law in 2008, where he continued to advocate for access to justice and a fair and equitable court system for all. Since 2014, Magistrate Judge
Arthur has served as a faculty member in an intensive trial advocacy program offered at the Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he has instructed students with trial preparation and techniques and presided over mock trials presented by his students.

From April 2008 to July 2010, Magistrate Judge Arthur served as Board Member, and ultimately Board Chairman, on the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics, where he oversaw the Board of Election’s process, ensured that the Board and its staff protected the right of District of Columbia citizens to be heard, and guaranteed that the electoral process was conducted in a fair, efficient, and transparent manner. He also presided over administrative hearings including challenges to proposed referenda and initiatives, nominating petitions, and
voter registration.

Since his appointment as a Magistrate Judge for the Superior Court in 2010, Magistrate Judge Arthur has presided over matters in the Criminal and Domestic Violence Divisions and over juvenile delinquency and abuse and neglect matters in the Family Court Division. He currently serves as the Presiding Magistrate Judge for the Superior Court, where he serves on the Chief Judge’s Leadership Team, manages assignments, resources, and staff for all Magistrate Judges, and assists with training for the Magistrate Judges, just to name some of his duties. Magistrate Judge Arthur serves on numerous committees aimed at enhancing the court system, such as the Committee on Workplace Conduct, the Committee on Pretrial Mental Health Examinations and Urgent Care, and the Family Court Neglect Court Orders Working Group.

In addition to his work and educational activities, Magistrate Judge Arthur has devoted himself to his surrounding communities through his efforts and participating in professional as well as public service. He has participated in numerous court communities and working groups which are designed to improve the efficacy of our court system and improve community access. He has served as a youth trainer for the District of Columbia’s Youth Leadership and Development Institute, where he trained youth in areas such as community development, public speaking, conflict resolution, and personal development. He has served as a mentor in the Law and Government Explorer’s Program and as a judge for the Truancy Court Diversion Program at John Hayden Johnson Middle School, where he has spoken to middle school students about our court system.

Magistrate Judge Arthur’s professional experience, his understanding of the law, and his willingness to give back to his community clearly distinguish him as a candidate for the position of Associate Judge of the Superior Court. His dignity, patience, and respect for others demonstrate his commitment to all parties and is the essence of judicial temperament. The citizens of the District of Columbia will undoubtedly continue to be well-served by his appointment as an Associate Judge in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, and
Washington Council of Lawyers is pleased to recommend him to you.

Respectfully submitted,
Mark L. Kovner
President, Washington Council of Lawyers

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