DC Superior Court's CJA/CCAN Investigator Panel

Update on Admission

Superior Court is seeking qualified candidates to apply to the Criminal Justice Attorney/Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect (CJA/CCAN) Investigator Panel on an emergency basis. The emergency application period will open on January 1, 2026, and close on June 30, 2026, for new applicants seeking admission to the panel. A decision on the applications will be made by October 1, 2026.

Admission Process

To apply as a new panel member, please download the application here: CJA/CCAN Investigator Application. For questions about the application process, please email IAC [at] dccsystem.gov (IAC[at]dccsystem[dot]gov).

Please note that participating in the application process is not a guarantee of admission to the panel. Candidates with language skills such as speaking or writing in Spanish or other non-English language are encouraged to apply. Applications must be submitted to the Defender Services Branch, DC Courts, Budget & Finance Division, Attn: Demitrious Brown, 700 6th St., NW, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20001.

Applicants must provide proof of submission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a request for a background check (proof may consist of electronic submission receipt, certified mail receipt, etc.), along with other supporting documentation. Applicants must use the FBI form FD-258, when requesting an FBI background check and to request that the results be returned directly to the D.C. Public Defender Service, 633 3rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, and Attn: Claire Roth, Special Counsel. The results of an FBI background check may take up to twelve (12) weeks, and it is recommended that the submission be made as early as possible to ensure a timely response. Additionally, the FBI offers an expedited service for requesting a background check through approved companies who will submit fingerprint information electronically to the FBI’s CJIS Division responsible for conducting the records check. Please visit the FBI’s website for an approved list of companies at the FBI’s website. The companies will charge a fee, require an in-person appointment, and will use Livescan for sending the fingerprints electronically to the FBI’s CJIS Division. The costs associated with the fingerprint check will be assumed by the applicant.

Applicants will be notified of their admission to the Panel and will be subject to their successful completion of the Investigator Certification Course provided by PDS. Failure to successfully complete the course will disqualify the applicant from advancing to final panel membership. The course will be free of charge and training materials will be provided at no cost. Dates and times for the course will be posted at PDS and the Defender Services Branch of the Superior Court’s Budget and Finance Division. Please contact Claire Roth, Special Counsel, PDS, at croth [at] pdsdc.org (croth[at]pdsdc[dot]org) for more information.
 

Superior Court will create and administer identification credentials for qualified CJA/CCAN Panel investigators. Court-issued identification credentials shall expire every two years on September 30, beginning September 30, 2012, regardless of the date an investigator was placed on the panel. Court-issued identification credentials must be renewed within thirty (30) days of the credentials’ expiration but no later than October 1st in the year of renewal. Certified investigators must submit a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint background check every two (2) years as a condition for reissuance of investigator identification credentials. Candidates who are disqualified due to a criminal background investigation will not be entitled to renewal of CJA/CCAN Investigator Identification credentials.

Current CJA/CCAN Investigator Panel Members:

Certified CJA/CCAN Panel Investigators must reapply to the panel every four years and resubmit their FBI fingerprint background check every two years. For more detailed information, please read the CJA Investigator Guidelines. If you have any queries, please contact the court at IAC [at] dccsystem.gov (IAC[at]dccsystem[dot]gov).

Investigator Resources:

Certified CJA/CCAN Investigators practicing in the District of Columbia are eligible to access the online investigator resources database maintained by the D.C. Public Defender Service. Please email Claire Roth, Special Counsel, PDS at Croth [at] pdsdc.org (croth[at]pdsdc[dot]org) to access the password-protected website.