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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘District of Columbia 
Judicial Financial Transparency Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR 
JUDGES OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS DESCRIBED.—Section 11–1530, 
D.C. Official Code, is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘§ 11–1530. Financial statements 
‘‘(a) Pursuant to such rules as the Commission shall 
promulgate, each judge of the District of Columbia courts 
shall, within one year following the date of enactment of 
the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 
1970 and at least annually thereafter, file with the Com-
mission a report containing the following information: 
‘‘(1)(A) The source, type and amount of the 
judge’s income which exceeds $200 (other than in-
come from the United States government and in-
come referred to in subparagraph (C)) for the period 
covered by the report. 
‘‘(B) The source and type of the judge’s 
spouse’s income which exceeds $1,000 (other than 
income from the United States government and in-
come referred to in subparagraph (C)) for the period 
covered by the report. 
‘‘(C) The source and type of income which con-
sists of dividends, rents, interest, and capital gains 
received by the judge and the judge’s spouse during 
such period which exceeds $200 in amount or value, 
and an indication of which of the following cat-
egories the amount or value of such item of income 
is within— 
‘‘(i) not more than $1,000, 
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‘‘(ii) greater than 1,000 but not more than 
$2,500, 
‘‘(iii) greater than $2,500 but not more 
than $5,000, 
‘‘(iv) greater than $5,000 but not more 
than $15,000, 
‘‘(v) greater than $15,000 but not more 
than $50,000, 
‘‘(vi) greater than $50,000 but not more 
than $100,000, 
‘‘(vii) greater than $100,000 but not more 
than $1,000,000, 
‘‘(viii) greater than $1,000,000 but not 
more than $5,000,000, or 
‘‘(ix) greater than $5,000,000. 
‘‘(2) The name and address of each private 
foundation or eleemosynary institution, and of each 
business or professional corporation, firm, or enter-
prise in which the judge was an officer, director, 
proprietor, or partner during such period. 
‘‘(3) The identity and category of value (as set 
forth in subsection (b)) of each liability of $10,000 
or more owed by the judge or by the judge and the 
judge’s spouse jointly at any time during such pe-
riod. 
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‘‘(4) The source and value of all gifts in the ag-
gregate amount or value of $250 or more from any 
single source received by the judge during such pe-
riod, except gifts from the judge’s spouse or any of 
the judge’s children or parents. 
‘‘(5) The identity of each trust in which the 
judge held a beneficial interest having a value of 
$10,000 or more at any time during such period, 
and in the case of any trust in which the judge held 
any beneficial interest during such period, the iden-
tity, if known, of each interest in real or personal 
property in which the trust held a beneficial interest 
having a value of $10,000 or more at any time dur-
ing such period. If the judge cannot obtain the iden-
tity of the trust interest, the judge shall request the 
trustee to report that information to the Commis-
sion. 
‘‘(6) The identity and category of value (as set 
forth in subsection (b)) of each interest in real or 
personal property having a value of $10,000 or more 
which the judge owned at any time during such pe-
riod. 
‘‘(7) The amount or value and source of each 
honorarium of $250 or more received by the judge 
and the judge’s spouse during such period. 
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‘‘(8) The source and amount of all money, other 
than that received from the United States govern-
ment, received in the form of an expense account or 
as reimbursement for expenditures from any source 
aggregating more than $250 during such period. 
‘‘(9) The source and amount of all waivers or 
partial waivers of fees or charges accepted by the 
judge on behalf of the judge or the judge’s spouse, 
domestic partner, or guest during such period. 
‘‘(b) For purposes of paragraphs (3) and (6) of sub-
section (a), the categories of value set forth in this sub-
section are— 
‘‘(1) not more than $15,000; 
‘‘(2) greater than $15,000 but not more than 
$50,000; 
‘‘(3) greater than $50,000 but not more than 
$100,000; 
‘‘(4) greater than $100,000 but not more than 
$250,000; 
‘‘(5) greater than $250,000 but not more than 
$500,000; 
‘‘(6) greater than $500,000 but not more than 
$1,000,000; 
‘‘(7) greater than $1,000,000 but not more 
than $5,000,000; 
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‘‘(8) greater than $5,000,000 but not more 
than $25,000,000; 
‘‘(9) greater than $25,000,000 but not more 
than $50,000,000; and 
‘‘(10) greater than $50,000,000. 
‘‘(c)(1) Reports filed pursuant to this section shall, 
upon written request, and notice to the reporting judge 
for purposes of making an application to the Commission 
for a redaction pursuant to paragraph (2), be made avail-
able for public inspection and copying within a reasonable 
time after filing and during the period they are kept by 
the Commission (in accordance with rules promulgated by 
the Commission), and shall be kept by the Commission 
for not less than three years. 
‘‘(2) This section does not require the public avail-
ability of reports filed by a judge if upon application by 
the reporting judge, a finding is made by the Commission 
that revealing personal and sensitive information could en-
danger that judge or a family member of that judge, ex-
cept that a report may be redacted pursuant to this para-
graph only— 
‘‘(A) to the extent necessary to protect the indi-
vidual who filed the report or a family member of 
that individual; and 
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‘‘(B) for as long as the danger to such indi-
vidual exists. 
‘‘(d) The intentional failure by a judge of a District 
of Columbia court to file a report required by this section, 
or the filing of a fraudulent report, shall constitute willful 
misconduct in office and shall be grounds for removal from 
office under section 11–1526(a)(2).’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to reports filed 
under section 11–1530, D.C. Official Code, that cover pe-
riods beginning during or after 2016. 
Æ 
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