2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 16 - Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title] › Chapter 7 - Criminal Proceedings in the Superior Court › § 16–705. Jury trial; trial by court

§ 16–705. Jury trial; trial by court.
(a) In a criminal case tried in the Superior Court in which, according to the Constitution of the United States, the defendant is entitled to a jury trial, the trial shall be by jury, unless the defendant in open court expressly waives trial by jury and requests trial by the court, and the court and the prosecuting officer consent thereto. In the case of a trial without a jury, the trial shall be by a single judge, whose verdict shall have the same force and effect as that of a jury.
(b) In any case where the defendant is not under the Constitution of the United States entitled to a trial by jury, the trial shall be by a single judge without a jury, except that if —
(1)(A) The defendant is charged with an offense which is punishable by a fine or penalty of more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for more than 180 days (or for more than six months in the case of the offense of contempt of court);
(B) The defendant is charged with 2 or more offenses which are punishable by a cumulative fine or penalty of more than $4,000 or a cumulative term of imprisonment of more than 2 years; or
(C)(i) The defendant is charged with an offense under:
(I) [Section 22-404(a)(1)];
(II) [Section 22-405.01]; or
(III) [Section 22-407]; and
(ii) The person who is alleged to have been the victim of the offense is a law enforcement officer, as that term is defined in [§ 22-405(a)]; and
(2) The defendant demands a trial by jury, the trial shall be by jury, unless the defendant in open court expressly waives trial by jury and requests trial by the court, and the court and the prosecuting officer consent thereto. In the case of a trial by the court, the judge’s verdict shall have the same force and effect as that of a jury.
(b-1) If a defendant in a criminal case is charged with 2 or more offenses and the offenses include at least one jury demandable offense and one non-jury demandable offense, the trial for all offenses charged against that defendant shall be by jury unless the defendant in open court expressly waives trial by jury and requests trial by the court, and the court and the prosecuting officer consent thereto. In the case of a trial without a jury, the trial shall be by a single judge, whose verdict shall have the same force and effect as that of a jury.
(c) The jury shall consist of twelve persons, unless the parties, with the approval of the court and in the manner provided by rules of the court, agree to a number less than twelve. Even absent such agreement, if, due to extraordinary circumstances, the court finds it necessary to excuse a juror for just cause after the jury has retired to consider its verdict, in the discretion of the court, a valid verdict may be returned by the remaining eleven jurors.
(Dec. 23, 1963, 77 Stat. 558, Pub. L. 88-241, § 1; July 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 556, Pub. L. 91-358, title I, § 145(d)(4); May 15, 1993, D.C. Law 9-272,§ 202, 40 DCR 796; Mar. 21, 1995, D.C. Law 10-232, § 2, 42 DCR 18; May 16, 1995, D.C. Law 10-255, § 14(a), 41 DCR 5193; May 21, 2002, D.C. Law 14-135, § 2, 49 DCR 3439; Apr. 21, 2023, D.C. Law 24-345, § 113, 70 DCR 7904.)
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 16-705.
1973 Ed., § 16-705.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 14-135, in subsec. (b)(1), designated subpar. (A) and in that subparagraph, substituted “The defendant is charged with an offense” for “the case involves an offense”, and substituted “court); or” for “court), and”, and added subpar. (B); rewrote subsec. (b)(2); and added subsec. (b-1). Prior to repeal, subsec. (b)(2) had read as follows: “(2) the defendant demands a trial by jury and does not subsequently waive a trial by jury in accordance with subsection (a), the trial shall be by jury.”
Emergency Legislation
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 111 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 (D.C. Act 25-61, Mar. 24, 2023, 70 DCR 3820).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-454, June 28, 2022, 69 DCR 007767).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-370, Apr. 7, 2022, 0 DCR 0).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-128, July 29, 2021, 68 DCR 007656).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-76, May 3, 2021, 68 DCR 004935).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-437, Oct. 28, 2020, 67 DCR 12993).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-336, July 22, 2020, 67 DCR 9148).
Temporary Legislation
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-149, Aug. 12, 2022, 69 DCR 007767).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Law 24-23, Sept. 3, 2021, 68 DCR 005837).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-151, Dec. 3, 2020, 67 DCR 9920).