Background
Career & Appointment
Anna Blackburne-Rigsby has served on DC's trial and appellate courts for nearly 30 years. She earned her JD from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law and began her judicial career as an Associate Judge on the DC Superior Court, later moving to the DC Court of Appeals.
Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006, she became Chief Judge of the DC Court of Appeals in 2017 and has been redesignated for three consecutive four-year terms. She chairs the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration for the District of Columbia court system and has held leadership roles in the Conference of Chief Justices and the National Center for State Courts.
Critical concern: As Chief Judge of the court of last resort in DC, Blackburne-Rigsby bears ultimate responsibility for the appellate court's performance. Under her leadership, the DCCA has seen dramatic declines in case disposition rates, rising decision times, and — most significantly — she sat on the panel that affirmed the conviction in Keerikkattil v. United States despite 12 documented legal issues, including structural errors, privilege violations, and vindictive prosecution.
Appellate Record
The Keerikkattil Decision
12 Issues, Zero Relief
On April 25, 2024, Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby sat on the panel that decided Keerikkattil v. United States, No. 22-CM-0963. The panel affirmed the conviction while remanding only the sentence — despite 12 fundamental legal issues raised on appeal, including structural error (right to counsel of choice), vindictive prosecution, privilege violations, and speedy trial violations.
Secretive Extension Grants
Documents filed in the case reference "unsigned grants of bogus government extension motions" in the DC Court of Appeals. These secretive procedural grants — occurring under Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby's administration — raise serious transparency concerns about how appellate proceedings are managed and whether defendants receive equal procedural treatment.
Decision Times Rose 45%
Under Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby's leadership, the average time from oral argument to court decision rose 45% between 2019 (239 days) and 2022 (347 days). Even after partial recovery in 2023 (322 days) and 2024 (est. 335 days), the average appeal takes nearly a full year from argument to ruling — while defendants and appellants wait in limbo.
44% Fewer Cases Closed
WJLA reported that the DCCA has closed 44% fewer cases than in 2013 and its clearance rate has dropped 20%. With 2 of 9 seats vacant and the court operating at 78% capacity, the backlog grows each year. In CY2024, the estimated clearance rate dropped to 89% — meaning significant more cases are entering than leaving the system.
DC Court of Appeals — Historic Old City Hall
The DC Court of Appeals oversees DC Bar discipline — the process that handles attorney misconduct. While Bernard Grimm's consent disbarment (In re Grimm, No. 21-BG-313) was processed in 2021, no further action was taken to address the impact of Grimm's privilege violations on the Keerikkattil case. The court that disciplines attorneys failed to address how one attorney's misconduct tainted an entire prosecution.
The Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure operates within the DC court system that Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby co-administers. In FY2024, the CJDT dismissed 62% of complaints, found 24% without merit, and took action on only 3.5%. Its most notable public action was censuring Senior Judge Melvin R. Wright for commingling mediation business — far less serious than the misconduct documented in the Keerikkattil case.
Court Leadership
Appointment and Performance
Sources: DC Courts DCCA Judges | Wikipedia | WJLA
"DCCA down two of nine needed judges, one seat vacant since 2013. Closed 44% fewer cases than in 2013. Clearance rate down 20%."
— WJLA, December 13, 2024Performance Under Blackburne-Rigsby
DCCA Performance (2019–2024)
| Year | Filings | Dispositions | Clearance | Pending | Arg→Decision | YoY Δ (Filings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1,304 | 1,316 | 98% | 1,343 | 239 days | — |
| 2020 | 794 | 1,219 | 151% | 930 | 250 days | −39.1% (COVID) |
| 2021 | 949 | 1,130 | 117% | 772 | 274 days | +19.5% |
| 2022 | 1,034 | 1,121 | 106% | 708 | 347 days | +9.0% |
| 2023 | 1,105 | 1,088 | 96% | 759 | 322 days | +6.9% |
| 2024 | 1,185 | 1,050 | 89% | 894 | 335 days | +7.2% |
CY2024 figures estimated from trend data. Source: CY2023 Statistical Summary | DC Sentencing Commission
Since becoming Chief Judge in 2017, the DCCA's clearance rate has fallen from above 100% to an estimated 89% in 2024, meaning the court is taking in significantly more cases than it resolves. Pending cases have surged from 708 (2022) to an estimated 894 (2024) — a 26% increase in just two years. Average decision times remain stubbornly high at 335 days, nearly a full calendar year.
Key Terms
Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby at a Glance
Evidence