I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4419 

To update the financial disclosure requirements for judges of the District 

of Columbia courts. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2016 

Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

A BILL 

To update the financial disclosure requirements for judges 

of the District of Columbia courts. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘District of Columbia 

5 Judicial Financial Transparency Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR 

7 JUDGES OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS. 

8 (a) REQUIREMENTS DESCRIBED.—Section 11–1530, 

9 D.C. Official Code, is amended to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘§ 11–1530. Financial statements 

2 ‘‘(a) Pursuant to such rules as the Commission shall 

3 promulgate, each judge of the District of Columbia courts 

4 shall, within one year following the date of enactment of 

5 the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 

6 1970 and at least annually thereafter, file with the Com7 mission a report containing the following information: 

8 ‘‘(1)(A) The source, type and amount of the 

9 judge’s income which exceeds $200 (other than in10 come from the United States government and in11 come referred to in subparagraph (C)) for the period 

12 covered by the report. 

13 ‘‘(B) The source and type of the judge’s 

14 spouse’s income which exceeds $1,000 (other than 

15 income from the United States government and in16 come referred to in subparagraph (C)) for the period 

17 covered by the report. 

18 ‘‘(C) The source and type of income which con19 sists of dividends, rents, interest, and capital gains 

20 received by the judge and the judge’s spouse during 

21 such period which exceeds $200 in amount or value, 

22 and an indication of which of the following cat23 egories the amount or value of such item of income 

24 is within— 

25 ‘‘(i) not more than $1,000, 


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1 ‘‘(ii) greater than 1,000 but not more than 

2 $2,500, 

3 ‘‘(iii) greater than $2,500 but not more 

4 than $5,000, 

5 ‘‘(iv) greater than $5,000 but not more 

6 than $15,000, 

7 ‘‘(v) greater than $15,000 but not more 

8 than $50,000, 

9 ‘‘(vi) greater than $50,000 but not more 

10 than $100,000, 

11 ‘‘(vii) greater than $100,000 but not more 

12 than $1,000,000, 

13 ‘‘(viii) greater than $1,000,000 but not 

14 more than $5,000,000, or 

15 ‘‘(ix) greater than $5,000,000. 

16 ‘‘(2) The name and address of each private 

17 foundation or eleemosynary institution, and of each 

18 business or professional corporation, firm, or enter19 prise in which the judge was an officer, director, 

20 proprietor, or partner during such period. 

21 ‘‘(3) The identity and category of value (as set 

22 forth in subsection (b)) of each liability of $10,000 

23 or more owed by the judge or by the judge and the 

24 judge’s spouse jointly at any time during such pe25 riod. 


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1 ‘‘(4) The source and value of all gifts in the ag2 gregate amount or value of $250 or more from any 

3 single source received by the judge during such pe4 riod, except gifts from the judge’s spouse or any of 

5 the judge’s children or parents. 

6 ‘‘(5) The identity of each trust in which the 

7 judge held a beneficial interest having a value of 

8 $10,000 or more at any time during such period, 

9 and in the case of any trust in which the judge held 

10 any beneficial interest during such period, the iden11 tity, if known, of each interest in real or personal 

12 property in which the trust held a beneficial interest 

13 having a value of $10,000 or more at any time dur14 ing such period. If the judge cannot obtain the iden15 tity of the trust interest, the judge shall request the 

16 trustee to report that information to the Commis17 sion. 

18 ‘‘(6) The identity and category of value (as set 

19 forth in subsection (b)) of each interest in real or 

20 personal property having a value of $10,000 or more 

21 which the judge owned at any time during such pe22 riod. 

23 ‘‘(7) The amount or value and source of each 

24 honorarium of $250 or more received by the judge 

25 and the judge’s spouse during such period. 


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1 ‘‘(8) The source and amount of all money, other 

2 than that received from the United States govern3 ment, received in the form of an expense account or 

4 as reimbursement for expenditures from any source 

5 aggregating more than $250 during such period. 

6 ‘‘(9) The source and amount of all waivers or 

7 partial waivers of fees or charges accepted by the 

8 judge on behalf of the judge or the judge’s spouse, 

9 domestic partner, or guest during such period. 

10 ‘‘(b) For purposes of paragraphs (3) and (6) of sub11 section (a), the categories of value set forth in this sub12 section are— 

13 ‘‘(1) not more than $15,000; 

14 ‘‘(2) greater than $15,000 but not more than 

15 $50,000; 

16 ‘‘(3) greater than $50,000 but not more than 

17 $100,000; 

18 ‘‘(4) greater than $100,000 but not more than 

19 $250,000; 

20 ‘‘(5) greater than $250,000 but not more than 

21 $500,000; 

22 ‘‘(6) greater than $500,000 but not more than 

23 $1,000,000; 

24 ‘‘(7) greater than $1,000,000 but not more 

25 than $5,000,000; 


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1 ‘‘(8) greater than $5,000,000 but not more 

2 than $25,000,000; 

3 ‘‘(9) greater than $25,000,000 but not more 

4 than $50,000,000; and 

5 ‘‘(10) greater than $50,000,000. 

6 ‘‘(c)(1) Reports filed pursuant to this section shall, 

7 upon written request, and notice to the reporting judge 

8 for purposes of making an application to the Commission 

9 for a redaction pursuant to paragraph (2), be made avail10 able for public inspection and copying within a reasonable 

11 time after filing and during the period they are kept by 

12 the Commission (in accordance with rules promulgated by 

13 the Commission), and shall be kept by the Commission 

14 for not less than three years. 

15 ‘‘(2) This section does not require the public avail16 ability of reports filed by a judge if upon application by 

17 the reporting judge, a finding is made by the Commission 

18 that revealing personal and sensitive information could en19 danger that judge or a family member of that judge, ex20 cept that a report may be redacted pursuant to this para21 graph only— 

22 ‘‘(A) to the extent necessary to protect the indi23 vidual who filed the report or a family member of 

24 that individual; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) for as long as the danger to such indi2 vidual exists. 

3 ‘‘(d) The intentional failure by a judge of a District 

4 of Columbia court to file a report required by this section, 

5 or the filing of a fraudulent report, shall constitute willful 

6 misconduct in office and shall be grounds for removal from 

7 office under section 11–1526(a)(2).’’. 

8 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

9 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to reports filed 

10 under section 11–1530, D.C. Official Code, that cover pe11 riods beginning during or after 2016. 

Æ 


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