Background
Career & Credentials
Heidi M. Pasichow served as an Associate Judge of the DC Superior Court from August 2008 until her retirement on June 27, 2025. Born May 24, 1955, she earned her BA from George Washington University (1977, with distinction, Phi Beta Kappa) and her JD from American University Washington College of Law (1981).
After clerking for Judge Sylvia Bacon at DC Superior Court (1983–1985), she spent 22 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (1986–2008), rising to supervise homicide/violent crimes, serve as deputy chief of the Homicide Section, chief of the Violent Crime Section, and special counsel for professional development.
Nominated by President George W. Bush (Dec 5, 2006; renominated Jan 9, 2007), she was confirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2008. She also served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law (Trial Advocacy, 2014–present) and held leadership roles in the National Association of Women Judges.
Public Record
Biographical Details
Sources: Wikipedia | Georgetown Law | CJDT Reappointment Evaluations 2023
Judicial Record
Documented Rulings
Published rulings and case outcomes from Judge Pasichow's tenure, drawn from public court records.
Sources: DC Witness Sep 2024 | DC Witness Oct 2024 | DC OGC
Case Misconduct
Documented Failures in the Keerikkattil Case
Dismissal of Retained Counsel
Judge Pasichow sua sponte dismissed the defendant's retained counsel of choice, Christopher Mutimer, over the defendant's express objection and without valid cause. Under United States v. Gonzalez-Lopez, this constitutes a structural error requiring automatic reversal.
Appointment of Ineffective Counsel
After removing retained counsel, Pasichow appointed Albert Amissah — an attorney who graduated from UDC Law in 2016 and was only two years into practice. Amissah failed to retain expert witnesses for approximately six months, mismanaged his calendar, and failed to file requested motions.
20+ Month Delays on Motions
Judge Pasichow took over 20 months to rule on §23-110 motions in Cases 2015-CMD-017652 and 2018-CF2-010309. These extraordinary delays denied the defendant timely access to justice and violated due process norms.
Retaliatory Resentencing
After the defendant filed a mandamus petition, Pasichow imposed a sentence that doubled the initial term and added a 4-year probation period that she had explicitly stated she was "not inclined" to impose at the original January 17, 2024 sentencing hearing.
Memory Problems & Contradictory Rulings
Case records document instances where Judge Pasichow appeared confused about prior rulings and issued contradictory orders within the same proceedings, raising serious concerns about judicial competence.
Zero Accountability
Despite documented failures, Judge Pasichow underwent a routine tenure review in 2023, received no discipline from the CJDT, and retired June 27, 2025 without any official sanction for her conduct in this case.
"The court is not inclined to impose probation... there is no reason for him to be on active probation."
— Judge Pasichow at initial sentencing, January 17, 2024 (before later adding 4-year probation term)Judge Pasichow's conduct fits within the broader pattern of DC court dysfunction documented by national media. With 12 vacant seats and 35,455 pending cases, judicial delays have become systemic. CNN reported felony cases being scheduled as far as 2027 — making individual accountability for motion delays nearly impossible to enforce.
National Capitol Columns, Washington DC | Wikimedia Commons
Evidence