D.C. Superior Court Issues Administrative Order on Prisoner Transfer

August 03, 2021

On August 2 the Superior Court of the District of Columbia issued Administrative Order 21-07 stating that judges may not authorize the return to the District of prisoners held in custody of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for post-conviction litigation.

The court said transferring these defendants to the District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DOC) during the pandemic creates risks not only for those being transported but also for persons in DOC custody and for anyone working or doing business at D.C. Superior Court.

Prisoners in the BOP system should not be returned to the District unless they are the witness or victim in a trial scheduled in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court before the end of 2021, the court said. The order also prevents the personal appearance of defendants litigating post-conviction matters, including compassionate release, though appearance through video conferencing may be available.

The full text of the administrative order can be found here.