Resolution: Supporting Recognition of Chief Judge Eric T. Washington, DC Court of Appeals (2017)

Self-Represented Litigation Network

Resolution 1-2017

Supporting Recognition of Chief Judge Eric T. Washington, District of Columbia Court of Appeals

WHEREAS, Chief Judge Eric T. Washington has served as vice-chair or chair of the Access, Fairness and Public Trust Committee (“the Committee”) since its first meeting in 2010; and

WHEREAS, under Chief Judge Washington’s leadership, the Committee has served as a national voice for numerous critical issues, such as, expanding civil legal aid, enhancing the availability of high-quality language access services, improving services for self-represented litigants, reinforcing state court leadership to address both explicit and implicit bias within the court system, encouraging the creation of access to justice commissions, engaging marginalized and disenfranchised communities to ensure equal access to justice for all, and encouraging the development of technology solutions to address access and fairness issues; and

WHEREAS, the Committee's success in these areas is due in large part to Chief Judge Washington's willingness to present at meetings of critical stakeholders such as the Conference of Chief Justices, the Conference of State Court Administrators, the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts, the American Bar Association's State Access to Justice Chairs, and the Self-Represented Litigation Network which implemented the Committee's recommendations; and

WHEREAS, Chief Judge Washington has worked tirelessly and selflessly to champion the work of the Committee; and

WHEREAS, Chief Judge Washington is retiring as Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in March of 2017;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Self-Represented Litigation Network supports and endorses Resolution #4 of 2017 of the Conference of Chief Justices authored and published intending to express deep gratitude to Chief Judge Eric T. Washington for his leadership of the Access, Fairness and Public Trust Committee and his unfailing commitment and outstanding contributions to ensure access to justice for all who come before state courts.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Self-Represented Litigation Network stands with Judge Washington in his mission to ensure fair and accessible justice for all and will strive to further this purpose through continued collaboration with partnership organizations, court leadership, and stakeholder groups as well as through the individual work of the Self-Represented Litigation Network.