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S. Hrg. 113–237 

NOMINATION OF WILLIAM W. NOOTER 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON 

HOMELAND SECURITY AND 

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

NOMINATION OF WILLIAM W. NOOTER TO BE ASSOCIATE JUDGE 

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 

OCTOBER 8, 2013 

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.fdsys.gov/ 

Printed for the use of the 

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

( 
(II) 

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware Chairman 

CARL LEVIN, Michigan 

MARK L. PRYOR, Arkansas 

MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana 

CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri 

JON TESTER, Montana 

MARK BEGICH, Alaska 

TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin 

HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota 

TOM COBURN, Oklahoma 

JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona 

RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin 

ROB PORTMAN, Ohio 

RAND PAUL, Kentucky 

MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming 

KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire 

JEFF CHIESA, New Jersey 

RICHARD J. KESSLER, Staff Director 

JOHN P. KILVINGTON, Deputy Staff Director 

KATHERINE C. SYBENGA, Senior Counsel 

JASON R. BOCKENSTEDT, Deputy Staff Director, Subcommittee on Emergency Management, 

Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia 

DEIRDRE G. ARMSTRONG, Professional Staff Member 

KEITH B. ASHDOWN, Minority Staff Director 

CHRISTOPHER J. BARKLEY, Minority Deputy Staff Director 

ANDREW C. DOCKHAM, Minority Chief Counsel 

SARAH BETH GROSHART, Minority Counsel 

LAURA W. KILBRIDE, Chief Clerk 

LAUREN M. CORCORAN, Hearing Clerk 
(III) 

C O N T E N T S 

Opening statements: Page 

Senator Begich .................................................................................................. 1 

Prepared statements: 

Senator Begich .................................................................................................. 7 

WITNESSES 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2013 

Hon. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Representative in Congress from the District 

of Columbia ........................................................................................................... 2 

William W. Nooter, to be an Associate Judge, Superior Court of the District 

of Columbia 

Testimony .......................................................................................................... 3 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 9 

Biographical and financial information .......................................................... 10 

Statement for the Record from Paul Strauss, U.S. Shadow Senator for the 

District of Columbia ............................................................................................. 28 

(1) 

NOMINATION OF 

WILLIAM W. NOOTER 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2013 

U.S. SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY

AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, 

Washington, DC. 

The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:04 p.m., in room 

SD–342, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Mark Begich, presiding. 

Present: Senator Begich. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR BEGICH 

Senator BEGICH. One thing I will try to do is I am going to make 

this painless because I believe you are highly qualified. 

Again, we are here to consider the nomination of William Nooter 

to be Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District Columbia. We welcome you. 

I am also pleased to have Congresswoman Norton here again. 

Thank you very much for being here, and we appreciate your attendance. 

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to your family in attendance. I know without your family you would not be able to do 

this job. I know exactly how that is. And so thank you to them for 

being here. 

The Committee consistently receives excellent candidates nominated by the President and recommended by the non-partisan District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission. This process is 

critical to ensuring we have the candidates who are experienced 

and have the appropriate temperament for this position. 

As we know, judges have critically important duties in our society. Judges must uphold and interpret the law, resolve disputes equitably, and protect the rights and liberties of our citizens. 

If confirmed, I trust you will fulfill these responsibilities with respect, character and deference befitting the Court. 

As many of you already know, Judge Nooter currently serves as 

Magistrate Judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Since his appointment in 2000, he has served in the Criminal 

and Civil Divisions, Domestic Violence, and the Family Courts. He 

is currently the presiding Magistrate Judge and serves on the 

Chief Judge’s Judicial Leadership Team. 

Prior to his appointment to the court, he worked at the law firm 

of Jordan, Coyne & Savits from 1989 to 2000 and served as a trial 
2 

attorney with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of 

Columbia from 1982 to 1989. 

Judge Nooter, I have reviewed your biographical questionnaire 

and believe you are well qualified to serve as Associate Judge for 

the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. You have a distinguished career and I honestly thank you for your willingness to 

participate and serve. 

Before I go on, let me ask, if I can, Congresswoman Norton— 

again thank you for joining us. I know you have some remarks. 

Feel free to share them with the Committee. 

We will also include for the record your written comments. 

TESTIMONY OF THE HONORABLE ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, 

A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE DISTRICT OF 

COLUMBIA 

Ms. HOLMES NORTON. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for 

accommodating Judge Nooter and I during this period when you 

may not even have all of your Committee staff here. 

But today, we have a particularly strong candidate. I will be 

equally brief. You have before you the presiding Magistrate Judge, 

who brings the kind of experience in the law that I believe prepares him well to be an Associate Judge of our Superior Court in 

the District of Columbia, including having clerked for this very 

court when he graduated with honors from George Washington 

University Law School. 

He has been, of course, in the general practice of law, but he has 

worked throughout the justice system in the District of Columbia 

in what was then called the Office of Corporation Counsel, now Attorney General. He has had 30 years of courtroom experience. That 

is what you look for when you are dealing with a trial court. And 

I certainly think his extensive experience will serve him well, it 

will serve the court well, and it will serve the people of the District 

of Columbia well, should the Senate choose to confirm him. 

I am here this afternoon to strongly recommend that this committee recommend his confirmation to the full Senate. 

Thank you very much for receiving us today, Mr. Chairman. 

Senator BEGICH. Thank you very much, Congresswoman. 

Our Committee rules require that the witness at a nomination 

give their testimony under oath so therefore, I ask you to please 

stand and raise your right hand. 

Do you swear that the testimony you are about to give this Committee is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so 

help you, God? 

Judge NOOTER. I do. 

Senator BEGICH. Thank you very much. Please have a seat and 

go ahead and give us your opening statement and then I do have 

a couple of quick questions. 
3 

1The prepared statement of Mr. Nooter appears in the Appendix on page 9. 

TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM W. NOOTER,1 NOMINATED TO BE AN 

ASSOCIATE JUDGE, SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF 

COLUMBIA 

Judge NOOTER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, thank you for 

this opportunity to appear before you as a nominee for a position 

as an Associate Judge in the District of Columbia Superior Court. 

I am grateful to the Judicial Nomination Commission and its 

chair, Judge Emmet Sullivan—who is here—for recommending me 

to the White House. And I am grateful to the President for nominating me to this position. 

Thank you, Congresswoman Norton, for your kind words in introducing me this afternoon. 

I would also like to thank the Committee and its staff for handling this process so expeditiously, despite all the other pressing 

matters pending before the Senate. 

I would like to acknowledge and thank Chief Judge Lee F. 

Satterfield for his support and leadership. 

I also want to recognize my wife, Elissa Free, my father, Robert 

H. Nooter who I do not know if he made it yet but he was planning 

to make it here—my brother, Robert I. Nooter and his wife Barbara. My nephew, Daniel Nooter, is here. And my staff, Denine 

Murray and Thomas Kinney, and other friends and colleagues who 

have taken the time to be here today. 

My daughter, Amanda—she attends college in Iowa—and my 

mother, Nancy Nooter, and my other siblings could not be here, but 

thanks to the wonders of modern technology, they can watch the 

re-runs on your Web site. 

One other person who I would like to introduce is Damian Miller. 

He is a young man with whom I became acquainted in the Family 

Court who has successfully emancipated from the foster care system. He not only made the Dean’s List at Hampton University, but 

he is now the Special Assistant to the Director of the Child and 

Family Services Agency, the District of Columbia’s child welfare 

agency. I am so pleased that he can be here today. There he is. 

Thank you, Damian. 

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but landed in Washington, DC. 

as a teenager and have never left. My legal career of over 30 years 

has been spent primarily in D.C. Superior Court, first as a law student attorney and a judicial law clerk for Hon. Tim Murphy, then 

as a trial attorney with the Office of the Corporation Counsel, in 

private practice with Jordan, Coyne & Savits, and finally as a Magistrate Judge. 

The length and breadth of my practice, as a prosecutor, defense 

attorney, civil practitioner in both government and private practice, 

and my 13 years as a judicial officer have well prepared me to take 

on the additional responsibilities of an Associate Judge. 

I have had the opportunity to serve on many court committees 

and to take on leadership roles within the Court, which have only 

deepened my love and respect for this vital institution that administers justice to the citizens of our city. I would be greatly honored 
4 

to continue to serve the Superior Court and the citizens of the District of Columbia as an Associate Judge, if confirmed. 

Thank you again for considering my nomination and I look forward to answering any questions you may have. 

Senator BEGICH. Thank you very much. 

You are going to be in the fastest hearing in Washington, DC. 

[Laughter.] 

I just have two quick questions for you. I have reviewed your resume, your information, all of the history of your work. And I have 

to say you are clearly highly qualified, especially because of the organization that recommended you. We have a similar system, as 

you may know, in Alaska, an independent judicial process, which 

recommends people for the Governor to appoint to certain seats. It 

really makes the difference. It creates quality candidates versus political candidates. I think it makes our judicial system better because of that. 

So thank you, for one, being here. 

Second, my first question—and this is one that is more of a general question—why do you want to take on this position? 

Judge NOOTER. Well, I have been in the role of a judicial officer 

for 13 years now, as a Magistrate Judge. And I know that is the 

role in the legal system I want to continue to be in for the rest of 

my career. 

I have found that I have been able to do, I think, a good job because of my prior experience as a trial lawyer and the abilities I 

have developed as a Magistrate Judge to handle calendars, handle 

many different kinds of cases. And this has been an extremely rewarding experience for me. 

So I really just want to continue to serve the Court and the community by taking on additional responsibilities that are assignments that Associate Judges have. That would include jury trials. 

One thing Magistrate Judges, by statute, do not handle are jury 

trials. So it would include quite a number of different opportunities 

for that and for other assignments, which I would look forward to. 

Senator BEGICH. What do you think your biggest challenge is 

going to be in this new position? 

Judge NOOTER. Well, I am very familiar with the court system 

itself. Having worked there for the past 13 years, having practiced 

there for quite a few years before that. So I know the players, I 

know the judges, I know the staff. 

Going into any new assignment always involves a certain 

amount of homework and learning the specific law that applies to 

that assignment. Some areas of the law I am more familiar with. 

I practiced as a civil practitioner for 14 years, so there would be 

less of a learning curve there. 

I have not been practicing as a criminal lawyer for quite a few 

years, although I have sat in some criminal assignments, arraignment court and preliminary hearings and that sort of thing. There 

would be more to learn there for me, to catch up on the latest legal 

rulings in that area. 

And then, I think while I am very much looking forward, if I get 

confirmed, to presiding over jury trials, since that is something I 

have not done in a while, I would need to just come up to speed 

with the latest practices on handling that. 
5 

So there would be learning curves, really, to any new assignment. Our court is very fortunate with all of the training opportunities it offers all of its judges, Magistrate Judges and Associate 

Judges. We all get training prior to being assigned to any new calendar, in that particular assignment. 

If I come aboard as a new Associate Judge, I will get even more 

broad training to help me adjust to the new role, and to learn some 

of the differences between what I have been doing and what I will 

be doing in that position. 

Senator BEGICH. I said I only have two questions, but I have one 

more. This is just from a non-lawyer, that is me. I have represented myself in court in Alaska a couple of times. I have apartments so I dealt with Forcible Entry and Detainer actions (FEDs). 

I know how judges handle people like me, sometimes they are not 

sure how to handle people like me because I am not an attorney. 

But those that come, and especially you will face that, people come 

in front of you that are not attorneys but represent themselves or 

attempt to represent their interests. 

How will you manage that, at the same time keeping an impartial view to the case that may be in front of you but trying to make 

sure they are availing themselves to their proper resources? Maybe 

they do not want to get an attorney. 

Judge NOOTER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is an excellent 

question because it has been part of our strategic plan and continues to be part of the Court’s strategic plan to improve access to 

justice. That includes, certainly, self-represented parties coming 

into court. D.C. Superior Court has many calendar assignments 

where there are unrepresented parties. One is small claims court, 

where many of the parties are unrepresented, mostly on both sides. 

But there are attorneys who appear there also. 

I am currently handling a civil assignment that also involves a 

lot of unrepresented parties. It is a collections and subrogation assignment. 

So in that case, we generally have a lawyer on the side of the 

plaintiffs and no lawyer on the side of the defendants, which is the 

most common scenario. 

So I have been dealing with that issue in that assignment. Our 

recently modified Code of Judicial Ethics clarifies for judges their 

role in this, which is that it is appropriate to make sure that selfrepresented litigants have some understanding of the proceedings 

before them. And it is incumbent upon judges in those situations 

to take some time to explain what the procedure is, what the status of the case is, and what is expected of the parties going forward. 

Certainly, in Small Claims Court, before you go to trial you explain the whole trial process to the parties so that they can keep 

their presentations within those limitations. But it is more relaxed 

in Small Claims Court than it is in my court, the Collections Court, 

which follows the regular civil rules. 

Senator BEGICH. It is pretty cut and dried in Collections. 

Judge NOOTER. Well, not necessarily, but the parties do have to 

follow the rules more strictly. In Small Claims Court, the rules 

allow you to interpret them more liberally. 
6 

But the Court has been developing legal resources for parties in 

circumstances where there is really no funding for this. The Court 

has collaborated with local bar associations and some local legal 

services organizations to provide legal resource centers in the 

courthouse. They are not there every day, but they are there some 

days, where parties can go in and get legal advice about their case. 

And this has proven very helpful so I always refer unrepresented 

parties to those resource centers that are available, so that they 

can get it—because the line is that the Judge really cannot give 

legal advice to a party who is not represented and cannot go so far 

as to give an unfair advantage to an unrepresented party. So there 

is a balancing act that takes place in the courtroom. But these additional resources have been very helpful. 

Senator BEGICH. Very good. 

I have three yes or no questions, these are the required questions. So let me go ahead and work through those, if I can. 

Is there anything that you are aware of in your background that 

might present a conflict of interest with the duties of the office to 

which you have been nominated? It is a yes or no. 

Judge NOOTER. No, Mr. Chairman. 

Senator BEGICH. Do you know of any reason, personal or otherwise, that would in any way prevent you from fully and honorably 

discharging the responsibilities of office to which you have been 

nominated? 

Judge NOOTER. No, Mr. Chairman. 

Senator BEGICH. Do you know of any reason, personal or otherwise, that would in anyway prevent you from serving the full term 

for the office in which you have been nominated? 

Judge NOOTER. No, Mr. Chairman. 

Senator BEGICH. Very good. Let me just check one thing here. 

[Pause.] 

The hearing record will remain open until 5 p.m. tomorrow, October 9, for the submission of statements and questions for the 

record. 

The hearing, at this time, is now adjourned. Thank you and congratulations. 

[Whereupon, at 3:22 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.] 
(7) 

A P P E N D I X 

Opening Statement of Sen. Mark Begich 

Nomination of William W. Nooter 

to be an Associate Judge, D.C. Superior Court 

2:30 p.m.; Oct. 8,2013; SD-342 

Today the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Cornmittee meets to consider the 

nomination of William W. Nooter to be Associate Judge on the District of Columbia Superior 

Court. Welcome to you. 

I'm also pleased Congresswoman Norton is able to join us today to introduce this 

nominee. Thank you for being here, Congresswoman. 

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the family and friends of our nominee in 

attendance. Glad you could be here. 

This committee consistently receives excellent candidates, nominated by the President, 

and recommended by the non-partisan District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission. 

This process is critical to ensuring we have candidates who are experienced, and have the 

appropriate temperament for this position. 

As we know, judges have critically important duties in our society. Judges must uphold 

and interpret the law, resolve disputes equitably, and protect the rights and liberties of our 

citizens. If confirmed, I trust you will fulfill these responsibilities with respect, character, and 

deference befitting this court. 

As many of you already know, Judge Nooter currently serves as a Magistrate Judge on 

the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Since his appointment in 2000, he has served in 

the Criminal and Civil Divisions, the Domestic Violence Unit and the Family Court. 

He is currently the Presiding Magistrate Judge and serves on the Chief Judge's Judicial 

Leadership Team. Prior to his appointment to the Court, he worked at the law firm Jordan, 

1 
8 

Coyne & Savits from 1989-2000 and served as a trial attorney with the Office of the Attorney 

General for the District of Columbia from 1982-1989. 

Judge Nooter, I have reviewed your biographical questionnaires and believe you are well 

qualified to serve as Associate Judge for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. 

You have had a distinguished career within the legal field that led you to this point. I 

know you will bring extensive legal experience to the bench. 

I look forward to your testimony and hearing more about your education, experience, and 

why you sought this position. 

Again, I want to thank you for your time today and your willingness to serve. 

2 
9 

Opening Statement of William W. Nooter 

Nominee for Associate Judge, District of Columbia Superior Court 

October 8, 2013 

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to appear 

before you as a nominee for a position as an Associate Judge in the District of Columbia 

Superior Court. I am grateful to the Iudicial Nomination Commission and its chair, Judge 

Emmet Sullivan, for recommending me to the White House, and am grateful to the President for 

nominating me to this position. Thank you Congresswoman Norton for your kind words in 

introducing me this afternoon. I would also like to thank the Committee and its staff for 

handling this process expeditiously, despite all the other pressing matters pending before the 

Senate. 

I would like to acknowledge and thank Chief Judge Lee F. Satterfield for his support and 

leadership. I also want to recognize my wife, Elissa Free, my father, Robert H. Nooter, my 

brother, Robert I. Nooter and his wife Barbara, my staff, Denine Murray and Thomas Kinney, 

and other friends and colleagues who have taken the time to be here today. My daughter, 

Amanda, who attends college in Iowa, my mother, Nancy Nooter, and my other siblings could 

not be here, but thanks to the wonders of modem technology, they can watch the re-runs on the 

Senate's website. One other person who I would like to introduce is Damian Miller, a young 

man with whom I became acquainted in the Family Court who has successfully emancipated 

from the foster care system. He not only made the Dean's List at Hampton University, but is 

now the Special Assistant to the Director of the Child and Family Services Agency, the District 

of Columbia's child welfare agency. I am so pleased that he can be here today. 

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but landed in Washington D.C. as a teenager and never 

left. My legal career of over thirty years has been spent primarily in D.C. Superior Court, first as 

a law student attorney and judicial law clerk for the Honorable Tim Murphy, then as a trial 

attorney with the Office of the Corporation Counsel, in private practice with Jordan, Coyne & 

Savits and finally as a Magistrate Judge. The length and breadth of my practice, as a prosecutor, 

defense attorney, civil practitioner in both government and private practice, and my thirteen 

years as a judicial officer have well prepared me to take on the additional responsibilities of an 

Associate Judge. I have had the opportunity to serve on many court committees and to take on 

leadership roles within the Court, which have only deepened my love and respect for this vital 

institution that administers justice to the citizens of our City. I would be greatly honored to 

continue to serve the Superior Court and the citizens of the District of Columbia as an Associate 

Judge, if confirmed. 

Thank you again for considering my nomination and I look forward to answering any 

questions you may have. 
10 

REDACTED 

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR NOMINEES TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS 

COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

I. BIOGRAPmCAL AND PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION 

1. Full name (include any former names used). 

William Ward Nooter 

2. Citizenship (if you are a naturalized U.S. citizen, please provide proof of your 

naturalization). 

I am a citizen of the United States of America. 

3. Current office address and telephone number. 

Superior Court of the District of Columbia 

500 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Suite 4450 

Washington, D.C. 20001 

(202) 879·4814 

of. Date and place of birth. 

February 8, 1954; St. Louis, Missouri. 

S. Marital status (if married, include maiden name of wife, or husband's name). List 

spouse's occupation, employer's name and business addressees). 

I am married to Elissa Blake Free, Executive Director of Communications. Georgetown 

University Law Center, 600 New Jersey Avenue, N.W .• Washington, D.C. 20001. 

6. Names and ages of children. List occupation and employer's name if appropriate. 

Amanda Blake Nooter; 21 years old. 

7. Education. List secondary school(s), college(s), law schooJ(s), and any other 

institutions of higher education attended; list dates of attendance, degree received, 

and date each degree was received. Please list dating back from most recent to 

earliest. 

George Washington University Law School; 1977 to 1981; Juris Doctor (with honors). 

1981. 

St. John's College (Annapolis, MD); 1972 to 1976; Bachelor of Arts, 1976. 
11 

Eberhard High School (Washington, D.C.); 1969 to 1972; High School Diploma, 1972. 

8. Employment record. List all jobs held since college, other tban legal experience 

covered in question 16, including tbe dates of employment, job title or description of 

job, and name and address of employer. Please list dating back from most recent to 

earliest. If you have served in the US military, please list dates of service, rank or 

rate, serial number, and type of discharge received. 

1979-1980 

Billig, Sher & Jones, PC (now defunct) 

2033 K Street, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20006 

Law Clerk 

1978-1979 

Sidley & Austin (now known as Sidley Austin LLP) 

1501 K Street, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20005 

Law Clerk 

1977 (approximately) 

Mr. Henry's (now defunct) 

Tenley Circle 

Washington, D.C. 20016 

Waiter 

1977 (approximately) 

Seafood Restaurant (can't recall name; now defunct) 

Connecticut Avenue and Yuma Street, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 

Waiter 

1977 (approximately) 

Barclay Apartments 

4716 Bradley Boulevard 

Bethesda, Maryland 20815 

Janitor 

1976 

St. John's College 

60 College Avenue 

Annapolis, Maryland 21401 

Grounds Crew 
12 

9. Honors and awards. List any scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, academic 

or professional honors, honorary society memberships, military awards, and any 

other special recognition for outstanding service or achievement. 

In October 2000, I received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Bar Association of the 

District of Columbia. 

On June 20, 2003, I received the "Sernard T. Janney Award" from the Janney 

Elementary School Parent Teacher Association "for outstanding service as a parent 

volunteer." 

10. Business relationships. List all positions currently or formerly held as an officer, 

director, trustee, partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any 

corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business enterprise, or 

educational or other institution. 

Trustee, Sar Association of the District of Columbia Foundation (J 998 - present) 

Board Member and Secretary. Janney Extended Day Program (2000 - 2003) 

Owner, V Note Music (sole proprietorship) (1994 - 2000) 

11. Bar associations. List all bar associations, legal or judicial-related committees, 

conferences, or organizations of which you are or have ever been a member, and 

provide titles and dates of any offices which you have held in such groups. 

American Sar Association 

American Sar Association National Conference of Specialized Court Judges 

District 3 Representative (2003 - 2006) 

Chair of Domestic Law Committee (2003 - 2007) 

Animal Legal Defense Fund 

Secretary, Local Chapter (1982 - approximately 1985) 

Sar Association of the District of Columbia (voluntary bar association) 

Bar Association of the District of Columbia Foundation 

Trustee (1998 - present) 

Vice President (1999 - 200 I) 

D.C. Courts Strategic Planning Leadership Council 

D.C. Superior Court Civil Rules Advisory Committee 

D.C. Superior Court Family Rules Advisory Committee 

D.C. Superior Court Family Court Implementation Committee 

Co-Chair, Family Court Panels Oversight Subcommittee (2011 - 2012) 

Member, Juvenile Subcommittee 

Co-Chair, Neglect Subcommittee (2005 - 2012) 

D.C. Superior Court Family Court Forms Committee 

D.C. Superior Court Family Court Panels Committee 

D.C. Superior Court Family Court Scheduling Subcommittee 

D.C. Superior Court Inter-agency Training Subcommittee 

District of Columbia Sar 
13 

George Washington American Inn of Court 

Vice President (2004 - 2005) 

President (2005 - 2006) 

Counselor (2006 - 2007) 

Maryland State Bar Association 

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges 

The Counsellors 

Women's Bar Association 

12. Otber memberships. List all memberships and offices currently and formerly beld 

in professional, business, fraternal, scholarly, civic, public, charitable, or otber 

organizations, other than those listed in response to Question 11. Please indicate 

wbether any of tbese organizations formerly discriminated or currently 

discriminates on tbe basis of race, sex, or religion. 

None. 

13. Court admissions. List all courts in which you have been admitted to practice, witb 

dates of admission and lapses in admission if any sucb memberships have lapsed. 

Please explain tbe reason for any lapse in membership. Please provide the same 

information for any administrative bodies whicb require special admission to 

practice. 

District of Columbia, 1981 

United States District Court for the District of Columbia, 1981 (lapsed in 2003) 

State of Maryland, 1988 

United States District Court for the District of Maryland. 1994 (lapsed in appro 2007) 

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1995 

14. Published writings. List tbe titles, publishers, and dates of books, articles, reports, 

or other published material you have written or edited. 

None. 

15. Speeches. List the titles orany formal speecbes you bave delivered during tbe last 

live (5) years and the date and place wbere they were delivered. Please provide the 

Committee with four (4) copies ofany of these speeches. 

None. 

16. Legal career. 

A. Describe chronologically your law practice and experience after graduation 

from law school, including: 
14 

(l) Whether you served as a law clerk to a judge, and if so, the name of 

the judge, the court, and the dates of your clerkship; 

I served as a law clerk to the Honorable Tim Murphy of the District of 

Columbia Superior Court from September 1981 to September 1982. 

(2) Whether you practiced alone, and if so, the addresses and dates; 

I have not practiced law alone. 

(3) The dates, names, and address of law firms, companies, or 

governmental agencies with which you have been employed. 

1981 

Law Offices of Stephen B. Bright, Robert Morin and Gerald Fisher 

Washington, D.C. 

Investigator and Co-counsel 

1982 - 1989 

District of Columbia Office of the Corporation Counsel 

(now known as the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General) 

441 Fourth Street, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20001 

Trial Attorney 

1989-2000 

Jordan Coyne & Savits, LLP 

1100 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 600 

Washington, D.C. 20036 

Senior Associate 

2000 - present 

Superior Court of the District of Columbia 

500 Indiana Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20001 

Magistrate Judge (originally designated as Hearing Commissioner) 

B. Describe the general character of your law practice, dividing it into periods 

with dates if its character has changed over the years. 

For a brief period in 1981, I worked with three criminal defense attorneys as an 

investigator and, after being admitted to the District of Columbia bar, as cocounsel. I assisted them with their cases by interviewing witnesses, examining 

crime scenes, drafting motions and I appeared as co-counsel with Mr. Bright in a 

murder trial. 
15 

For one year, I served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Tim Murphy of the 

D.C. Superior Court. During my clerkship, Judge Murphy was assigned to both 

the civil and criminal divisions, and as a law clerk I drafted proposed orders and 

opinions, handled inquiries from parties and counsel, and researched legal issues. 

From 1982 to 1989, I was a trial attorney with the District of Columbia Office of 

the Corporation Counsel (now known as the District of Columbia Office of the 

Attorney General). I was assigned to the Juvenile Division from 1982 to 1986, 

where I prosecuted juvenile delinquency cases during the first year of my tenure 

and then focused on prosecuting child abuse and neglect cases from 1983 to 1986. 

In 1986, I transferred to the Civil Division, where 1 was responsible for defending 

the District of Columbia in civil lawsuits including torts, contracts, medical 

malpractice, employment discrimination, constitutional torts, First Amendment, 

and drug testing cases. 

In 1989, I joined the law firm of Jordan Coyne & Savits, LLP and handled civil 

litigation, primarily in tort cases including automobile accidents, premises 

liability, products liability, professional malpractice, and employment law 

matters. 

Since October 2000, I have served as a Magistrate Judge in the D.C. Superior 

Court. As a Magistrate Judge, I have been assigned to the Criminal Division, the 

Civil Division, Family Court, and the Domestic Violence Unit. The majority of 

my time has been handling a Neglect and Abuse assignment in the Family Court. 

I have been the Presiding Magistrate Judge since July 20 I O. 

C. Describe your typical former clients and describe the areas of practice, if 

any, in which you have specialized. 

In ) 981, while working for three criminal defense attorneys, my clients were 

indigent persons charged with criminal offenses. As a trial attorney with the 

Office of Corporation Counsel, I represented the District of Columbia in juvenile 

delinquency prosecutions, child neglect and abuse civil prosecutions, and civil 

litigation. In addition, J also represented some petitioners in domestic violence 

cases on behalf of the District. While in private practice, I typically represented 

individuals insured by a number of insurance companies, as well businesses and 

some governmental entities, in civil litigation. 

D. Describe the general nature of your litigation experience, including: 

(1) Whether you have appeared in court frequently, occasionally, or not 

at all. Ifthe frequency of your court appearances has varied over 

time, please describe in detail each such variance and give applicable 

dates. 

During all of the stages of my career, other than those during which I 

worked at the D.C. Superior Court, I have appeared in court frequently. 
16 

(2) What percentage of these appearances was in: 

(a) Federal courts (including Federal courts in D.C.); 

(b) State courts of record (excluding D.C. courts); 

(c) D.C. courts (Superior Court and D.C. Court of Appeals only); 

(d) other courts and administrative bodies. 

I estimate that approximately 70% of my court appearances have been in 

the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, 20% have been in state 

courts of record excluding the D.C. courts, and 10% have been in federal 

courts. 

(3) What percentage of your litigation has becn: 

(a) civil; 

(b) criminal. 

I estimate that approximately 90% of my litigation practice has been civil 

and 10% has been criminal. 

(4) What is the total number of cases in courts of record you tried to 

verdict or judgment (rather than settled or resolved, but may include 

cases decided on motion if they are tabulated separately). Indicate 

whether you were sole counsel, lead counsel, or associate counsel in 

these cases. 

As counsel, I estimate that I have tried over 100 cases to verdict, mostly as 

sole counsel. 

(5) What percentage of these trials was to 

(a) a jury; 

(b) the court (include cases decided on motion but tabulate them 

separately). 

Approximately 20% of my trials were to a jury and 80% were to the court. 

17. Describe the five (5) most significant litigated matters which you personally 

handled. Provide citations, if the cases were reported, or the docket number and 

date if unreported. Give a capsule summary of the substance of each case and a 

succinct statement of what you believe was of particular significance about the case. 

Identify the party/parties you represented and describe in detail the nature of your 

participation in the litigation and the final disposition of the case. Also state as to 

each case, (a) tbe date of representation; (b) the court and tbe name ofthe judge or 

judges before whom tbe case was litigated; and (e) the name(s) and address(es) and, 

telephone number(s) of co-counsel and of tbe principal counsel for the other parties. 
17 

I. In re: LaShawn R., 114 D.W.L.R. 1109 (D.C. \986) 

In this case, the child's parent had failed to ensure that the child attended school on a 

regular basis (attending no more than 30 days in the preceding six years). I represented 

the District of Columbia and, after a trial, D.C. Superior Court Judge Susan Holmes (now 

Judge Susan Winfield) held that the evidence was sufficient to find that the child was 

neglected under the relevant statute. There was no appeal and the child was ordered into 

a residential educational program. This case was legally significant because it was the 

first published case in this jurisdiction in which a child was deemed "neglected" based 

solely upon educational deprivation. 

Mother's counsel 

Diane Weinroth 

American University Washington College of Law 

4801 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20016 

(202) 274·4155 

Child's counsel 

J. Barbara Lindskold 

Retired - current address and telephone number unknown 

2. District of Columbia v. Howell, 607 A. 2d 501 (D.C. 1992) 

I tried this ten-day jury trial before D.C. Superior Court Judge Sylvia Bacon with cocounsel. representing the District of Columbia in a negligence action in approximately 

1988. The plaintiff, a minor, and his parents sued the District of Columbia and American 

University for severe bum injuries he received in a summer science program conducted 

by American University personnel in a D.C. public school. The jury awarded a large 

verdict against the defendants, which was appealed. While most of the award was upheld 

on appeal, the D.C. Court of Appeals agreed with the argument we had made to the trial 

court that a parent cannot recover loss of consortium for injury to a child. While I did not 

litigate the appeal, most of the issues argued in the appeal had been raised at trial and in 

post-trial motions 1 had written with co-counsel. 

Co-counsel 

Carol Paskin Epstein 

District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General 

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W. 

Washington, D.C. 20004 

(202) 724·5536 

Plaintiffs counsel 

Jeremiah C. Collins & Stephen Raber 

Williams & Connolly LLP 

725 12th Street, N.W. 
18 

Washington, D.C. 20005 

(202) 434·5032 

Co-defendant's counsel 

Edwin A. Sheridan 

Sheridan, Persian & Associates 

9842 Business Way 

Manassas, Virginia 20110 

(703) 392·9215 

3. Huber v. General Electric Capital Auto Lease, Inc .. 676 A. 2d 467 (D.C. 1996) 

While at Jordan Coyne & Savits, I litigated this automobile negligence case before D.C. 

Superior Court Judge Jose Lopez and assisted in drafting the appellate brief. My client, 

General Electric Capital Auto Lease, Inc. ("GECAL"). had leased a vehicle to one of the 

defendant drivers on a long·term lease with an option to buy. At the close of discovery, 

GECAL moved for summary judgment arguing that they were not the "owner" of the 

vehicle at the time of the accident, as defined by the Financial Responsibility Act, and 

therefore were not subject to liability. The trial court agreed and granted summary 

judgment to my client. On appeal, the D.C. Court of Appeals affirmed. significantly 

clarifying the provisions of the D.C. Code with respect to the definition ofan "owner" 

under these circumstances. 

Plaintiffs counsel 

Joseph Mulhern 

20 Courthouse Square, Suite 218 

Rockville, Maryland 20850 

(30 I) 424-4621 

4. Hall v. Ford, 856 F.2d 255 (D.C. Cir. \988) 

In this matter, the plaintiff had been the Athletic Director of the University of the District 

of Columbia ("UDC") prior to being terminated by President Ford after he made public 

allegations about improper activities within the Athletic Department. He sued. claiming 

violations of his First Amendment rights, as well as property and liberty rights in 

connection with the job termination. While working in the Civil Division of the D.C. 

Office of the Corporation Counsel, I represented the President of UDC in this action in 

the District Court for the District of Columbia before Judge Oliver Gasch. Prior to trial, I 

moved to dismiss the plaintiffs complaint, which the trial court granted as to all counts. 

That decision was affirmed on appeal to the D.C. Circuit. 

Plaintiffs counsel 

Stanley A. Freeman 

1875 Eye Street, N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20006 

(202) 466-6550 
19 

5. Boyd v. Coleman. 906 F.2d 783 (D.C. Cir. 1990) 

While assigned to the Civil Division of the Office of the Corporation Counsel, I tried this 

week-long bench trial before United States District Judge Oliver Gasch with two cocounsel. The plaintiffs were firefighters and EMT personnel of the District of Columbia 

who challenged the constitutionality of the D.C. Fire Department's drug testing policy 

and procedures. The trial court granted partial summary judgment on the issue of the 

constitutionality of the drug testing program, but conducted a trial on whether the specific 

methods and procedures used by the Police and Fire Clinic comported with the Fourth 

Amendment. After trial, the court found in favor of my client, holding that the 

procedures in use at the clinic were sufficiently reliable to withstand the constitutional 

challenge asserted by the plaintiffs. The decision was affirmed by the D.C. Circuit. 

Co-counsel 

Rachel Evans 

4520 East-West Highway 

Bethesda, Maryland 20814 

(301) 951-9191 

Ronald Harris 

300 Indiana Avenue, N.W. 

Room 41 15 

Washington, D.C. 20001 

(202) 727-4129 

Plaintiffs counsel 

Bemard J. DiMuro 

11 0 1 King Street, Suite 610 

Alexandria, Virginia 22314 

(703) 684-4333 

18. Describe tbe most significant legal activities you bave pursued, including significant 

litigation wbieb did not proceed to trial or legal matters that did not involve 

litigation. Deseribe the nature of your partieipation in eaeh instanee deseribed, but 

you may omit any information protected by the attorney-client privilege (unless the 

privilege bas been waived). 

As a Magistrate Judge, I have served on many D.C. Superior Court committees, two of 

which I believe are of particular significance. First, I served on the Family Court Panels 

Committee, which established panels of court-appointed lawyers who are qualified to 

represent parties in neglect and abuse and juvenile delinquency cases in D.C. Superior 

Court. In addition to serving on the original committee that first developed the panels, I 

also co-chaired and served on the Family Court Panels Oversight Subcommittee, which 

added new attorneys and ensured that those admitted on panels continued to represent 

their clients effectively. 
20 

Second, I was also a member of the Strategic Planning Leadership Council, which helped 

the D.C. Courts develop a Strategic Plan for 2013 to 2017. The Council solicited and 

obtained input from more than 4,000 court participants and stakeholders to identity areas 

of future improvement As a result, the Courts have set a number of priority action items 

and have set up management action plans to address issues such as the timely resolution 

of cases, the creation of a court user code of conduct, the increased use of technology, 

and the improvement of access to justice in our courts. 

Also, since July 2010, I have been the Presiding Magistrate Judge of the D.C. Superior 

Court. In this role, I participate on the Chief Judge's Judicial Leadership Team, ensure 

that all magistrate judge assignments are covered for both scheduled and emergency 

leave, work with the presiding and deputy presiding judges of the other divisions on 

matters related to the magistrate judge assignments in their divisions, and provide 

leadership to the magistrate judge community. 

19. Have you ever held judicial office? If so, please give the details ohuch service, 

including the court(s) on which you served, whether you were elected or appointed, 

the dates of your service, and a description of the jurisdiction of the court. Please 

provide four (4) copies of all opinions you wrote during such service as a judge. 

In September 2000, I was sworn in as a Hearing Commissioner for the Superior Court of 

the District of Columbia, after being nominated by former Chief Judge Eugene Hamillon 

and confirmed by the Board of Judges. In 2002, the title was changed to Magistrate 

Judge. The jurisdiction of D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judges is set forth in D.C. 

Code Sections 11-1732 and 11-1732A. During my tenure, I have been assigned to the 

Criminal and Civil Divisions, the Family Court, and the Domestic Violence Unit. While 

in the Family Court, I have issued findings in neglect cases. Redacted versions of those 

decisions are supplied. I have also issued opinions during my service in the Civil 

Division and in domestic relations cases; those opinions are supplied as well. 

A. List all court decisions you have made which were reversed or otherwise 

criticized on appeal. 

In re: ANG. P. and AND. P., Case Nos.II-FS- 1584 & 11-FS-1585 (D.C. Apr. 22, 

2013). In this case, I found that two children, who were five- and fourteen-years old, 

were neglected based upon their mother's use of prescribed medications that often 

caused a state of unconsciousness (including during the trial). The D.C. Court of 

Appeals reversed my decision, finding that there had not been any evidence presented 

that the five-year old had been left unattended during any ofthese periods of 

unconsciousness and that the fourteen-year old was mature enough to care for the 

younger child. 

20. Have you ever been a candidate for elective, judicial, or any other public office? If 

so, please give the details, including the date(s) of the election, the office(s) sought, 

and the results of the election(s). 
21 

I applied for the position of Hearing Commissioner in May 1999 and July 2000. I also 

submitted applications to become a D.C. Superior Court judge from 2001 to 2005 and 

again from 2008 to 2013. Otherwise, I have not been a candidate for elective, judicial, or 

other public office. 

21. Political activities and affiliations. 

• List all public offices, either elected or appointed, which you have held or sought as 

a candidate or applicant. 

None. 

• List all memberships and offices held in and services rendered to any political party 

or election committee during the last ten (10) years. 

None. 

• Itemize all political contributions to any individual, campaign organization, political 

party, political action committee, or similar entity during the last five (5) years of 

S500rmore. 

None. 

22. To your knowledge, have you ever been Investigated, arrested, charged, or convicted 

(include pleas of guilty or nolo contendere) by federal, State, local, or other law 

enforcement authorities for violations of any federal, State, county, or municipal 

law, other than for a minor traffic offense? Ifso, please provide details. 

While a senior in high school, I was returning from Canada to the United States in my 

friend's ear. During a border search of the car, border officials found a seed-like object 

that they believed to be opium or some type of drug, and my friend and I were arrested 

and held overnight. Several months later, I received notification that lab results 

determined that the seed-like object was not opium, nor any other type of drug, and the 

charge against me was dropped. Also, while not directly responsive to this question, 

when I was fourteen ycars old, I was held in New York City as a runaway and returned 

home. 

23. Have you or any business of which you are or were an officer, director or owner 

ever been a party or otherwise involved as a party in any other legal or 

administrative proceedings? If so, give the particulars. Do not list any proceedings 

in which you were merely a guardian ad litem or stakeholder. Include all 

proceedings in which you were a party in interest, a material witness, were named 

as a co-conspirator or co-respondent, and list any grand jury investigation in which 

you appeared as a witness. 
22 

In 1999, I was sued in state court in Prince George's County, Maryland by a disgruntled 

litigant who had mental health issues. The case was dismissed. 

As a Magistrate Judge, I have been sued in my official capacity four times, all of which 

have been dismissed. 

I. Roth v. King, No. 03-1109 (D.D.C.). In this case, members of the Family Court 

bar unsuccessfully challenged the establishment of the Family Court Panels, the 

procedures used to select attorneys for the Panels, and the proposed 

implementation of a Guardian Ad Litem representation and training program. See 

Roth v. King. 449 F.3d 1272 (D.C. Cir. 2006); Roth v. King. 2007 U.S. App. 

LEXIS 28408 (D.C. Cir. Dec. 6, 2007). 

2. Evans v. Robinson, No. 2007 CA 3287 B (D.C. Super Ct.). The mother in a 

neglect case that I had handled sued the social workers, the Assistant Attorney 

General of the District of Columbia, and her child's Guardian Ad Litem, in 

addition to me, on claims that were not easily comprehensible from the complaint, 

other than their relation to the Family Court case over which I presided. The case 

was dismissed by Judge Gerald 1. Fisher on August 24, 2007. 

3. Jordan v. Nooter, No. 2009 CA 007208 B (D.C. Super. Ct.). In this case, the 

plaintiff sought my recusal from a case, due to related matters that I had handled. 

The civil lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice by Judge Natalia Combs Greene 

on November 18,2009. 

4. Bradley v. NOOler, No. 2012 CA 0001149 (D.C. Super. Ct.). The plaintiff in this 

matter sued a number of judges in the D.C. Superior Court who had presided over 

cases in which she was a party. The pro se complaint alleged that I was an 

"accessory at the fact, accompany abuse." Judge Todd Edelman dismissed this 

case on March 2, 2012. Additionally, Judge Melvin Wright, Presiding Judge of 

the Civil Division, issued a Memorandum Opinion and Order on March 15,2012, 

requiring the plaintiff to seek leave of court before filing any future complaints. 

24. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics for unprofessional 

conduct by, or been the subject of a complaint to any court, administrative agency. 

bar or professional association, disciplinary committee, or other professional group? 

If so, please provide the details. 

No. 
23 

II. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 

1. Will you sever all connections with your present employer(s), business firm(s). 

business association(s), or business organization(s) if you are confirmed? 

Not applicable, as I am currently employed by the D.C. Superior Court. 

2. Describe all finandal arrangements, deferred compensation agreements. or other 

continuing dealings witb your law firm, business associates, or clients. 

None. 

3. Indicate any investments, obligations, liabilities, or other relationships which could 

involve potential conflicts of interest. 

None. 

4. Describe any business relationship. dealing, or financial transaction which you have 

had in the last ten (10) years, whether for yourself, on behalf of a client, or acting as 

an agent. that could in any way constitute or result in a possible conflict of interest 

other than while in a federal government capacity. 

None. 

5. Describe any activity during the last ten (10) years in which you have engaged for 

the purpose of directly or indirectly influencing tbe passage, defeat, or modification 

of legislation or affecting the administration and execution oflaw or public policy 

other tban while as a federal government employee. 

None. 

6. Do you bave any plans, commitments, or agreements to pursue outside employment, 

with or without compensation, during your service as a judge? If so, explain. 

None. 

7. Explain how you will resolve any potential contllcts of interest, including any that 

may have been disclosed by your responses to the above items. Please provide three 

(3) copies of any trust or other relevant agreements. 

If any conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest arises, I will resolve it pursuant 

to the District of Columbia Code of Judicial Conduct. 

8. If confirmed, do you expect to serve out your full term? 

Yes. 
24 

1lI. FINANCIAL DATA RBDACTED 

All information requested under this heading must be provided for yourself, your spouse, 

and your dependents. (This information will not be published in the record of the hearing 

on your nomination, but it will be retained in the Committee's files and will be available for 

publi~ inspKtion.) 
25 

IV. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA REQUIREMENTS 

Supplemental questions concerning specific statutory qualifications for service as a judge 

in the courts of the District of Columbia pursuant to the District of Columbia Court 

Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970, D.C. Code Section I 1 - 150 1 (b), as amended. 

1. Are you a citizen of the United States? 

Yes. 

2. Are you a member of the bar of the District oC Columbia? 

Yes. 

3. Have you been a member oftbe bar ofthe District oCColumbia for at least five (5) 

years? Please provide the date you were admitted to practice in the District of 

Columbia. 

Yes. I was admitted to the District of Columbia baron lune 19, 1981. 

4. If the answer to Question 3 is "no" --

A. Are you a professor of law in a law school in the DistrictoCColumbia? 

B. Are you a lawyer employed in tbe District of Columbia by tbe United States 

or tbe District oC Columbia? 

C. Have you been eligible for membersbip in the bar of the District of Columbia 

for at least five (5) years? 

D. Upon wbat grounds is tbat eligibility based? 

5. Are you a bona fide resident of the District of Columbia? 

Yes. 

6. Have you maintained an actual place of abode in tbe greater Wasbington, D.C. area 

for at least fIVe (5) years? Please list tbe addresses of your actual places of abode 

(including temporary residences) with dates of occupancy for the last five (5) years. 

Yes. Since 1988, I have resided at REDACTED Washington, D.C. 20016. 

7. Are you a member of the District of Columbia Commission on Judicial Disabilities 

and Tenure or the District oC Columbia Judicial Nominating Commission? 

No. 
26 

8. Have you been a member of eitber of tbese Commissions within the last 12 montbs? 

No. 

9. Please provide tbe eommittee witb four (4) eopies of your District of Columbia 

Judicial Nomination commission questionnaire. 

Four copies are supplied. 
27 

AFFIDAVIT 

William Ward Nooter, being duly swom, hereby states that he has read and signed the 

foregoing Statement on Biographical and Financial Information and that the information 

provided therein is, to the best of his knowledge. current, accurate, and complete. 

8RIAN K PRIce 

District of Columbia, Notary Public 

My Commission expires 

Au9llltsl.2014 
28 

PREPARED STATMENT OF 

THE HONORABLE PAUL STRAUSS 

U.S. SHADOW SENATOR 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 

On the Nomination of 

William W. Nooter 

To be an Associate Judge on the 

District of Columbia Superior Court 

Before the 

United States Senate 

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

Dirksen Senate Office Building - Room 50-342 

October 8, 2013 - 2:30 p.m. 
29 

Senator Begich and Members of the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Govemmental Affairs, I am Paul Strauss, the United States Senator elected by the voters 

of the District of Columbia, I appreciate this opportunity to provide this statement on 

behalf of my constituents in the District of Columbia. In addition to my elected position, I 

am also an attorney who has practiced in the local courts of the District of Columbia. In 

each of these capacities, I wish to express my wholehearted support for President 

Obama's nomination of the Honorable William Ward Nooter to serve as an Associate 

Judge for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. 

Judge William Nooter has a long and distinguished history of serving the cause of 

justice here in the District of Columbia. Judge Nooter completed law school with honors 

at George Washington University in 1981, and during his time in law school he served as 

a Student Investigator for the Public Defender Service at Saint Elizabeth's Hospital. He 

also participated in the D.C. Law Students in Court Program one of our community's 

longest and most successful legal clinics where law students are provisionally admitted to 

a limited practice before the bar to provide free legal representation in DC Courts to low 

income litigants. 

Following his graduation from law school, Judge Nooter represented the District 

of Columbia government from 1982 to 1989 as a trial attorney for the Office of the 

Corporation Counsel (now Office of the Attorney General). While assigned to the 

Juvenile Section he litigated the now precedential case of "In re LaShawn R. ", a case 

which is still cited in the annotations of the Official D.C. Code at section §16-2301. He 

later went on to an assignment in that office's Civil Division defending the District of 

Columbia in numerous civil actions in D.C. Superior Court and the United States District 

Court for the District of Columbia. 

Prior to being appointed as a Magistrate Judge, Judge Nooter worked in private 

practice with the law firm of Jordan, Coyne, & Savits. There he tried civil cases in 

District of Columbia and Maryland courts from 1989 to 2000. He handled cases which 

included personal injury actions, professional liability, employment and insurance 

coverage issues. 

Mr. Nooter is dedicated to involvement and improvement of the judiciary as 

evidenced by the organizations on which he serves. Mr. Nooter serves as Trustee for the 

Foundation of the Bar Association for the District of Columbia and served as Secretary 

on the Board of Directors for the Janney Elementary School Extended Day Program from 

2000 to 2003. He has also volunteered his services as a civil mediator for the Multi-Door 

Dispute Resolution Division of the Superior Court from 1988 until his appointment to the 

Court in 2000. In addition, Mr. Nooter is a member of the National Council of Juvenile 

and Family Court Judges, a member of the National Conference of Specialized Court 

Judges, Judicial Division, American Bar Association, and the George Washington 

American Inn of Court. Judge Nooter serves on numerous Superior Court Committees 

and is currently co-chair of the Neglect Subcommittee of the Family Court 

Implementation Committee. Judge Nooter has also participated in numerous training 

programs for lawyers, law students, social workers, foster parents and new judges. 
30 

Æ 

In addition to serving the District in a judicial capacity, the Honorable William 

Nooter also serenades the District of Columbia with his seven member rock band; "Deaf 

Dog and the Indictments". I have heard them perform, and they are surprisingly good. I 

mention this because it shows that he is an active member of the District of Columbia 

community not just as a judicial officer, but as a well-rounded citizen whose involvement 

in the civic and cuIturallife of the city expands well beyond the bench. 

For those of us who have known him and had the opportunity to appear in his 

court, it is clear from Judge Nooter's history as a Magistrate Judge, that he is more than 

capable of serving our community as an Associate Judge with the same integrity and 

steadfast commitment to justice. There is no question that Judge Nooter deserves all of 

the requisite prestige which accompanies a Presidential nomination and the advice and 

consent of the United States Senate. However, I look forward to the day when he will 

enjoy the even greater dignity of full citizenship. Until that day, since neither I, nor any 

other District resident can cast a vote on his behalf in this Senate, I am limited to asking 

you to cast your vote to confirm Judge Nooter on behalf of myself and the constituents I 

represent. 

Thank you for the opportunity to present this statement for the record.