District of Columbia Criminal Justice Act
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on District of Columbia.
District of Columbia Criminal Justice Act - Directs the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration to place in operation in the District of Columbia a plan for furnishing representation to a person in the District of Columbia who is financially unable to obtain adequate representation, including those for whom the sixth amendment to the Constitution requires the appointment of counsel or for whom, in a case in which he faces loss of liberty, any local law requires the appointment of counsel. Provides that counsel furnishing representation under the plan shall be selected from panels of attorneys designated or approved by the courts. Provides that a person for whom counsel is appointed shall be represented at every stage of the proceedings from his initial appearance before the court through appeals. Sets forth methods for determining payment rates for attorneys appointed pursuant to this Act. Provides that counsel for a person who is financially unable to obtain investigative, expert, or other services necessary for an adequate defense may request them in an ex parte application. Directs the Joint Committee to annually prepare and submit to the Commissioner of the District of Columbia its estimate of the amount needed for furnishing representation by private attorneys to persons entitled to representation in accordance with this Act. Authorizes the appropriation to the District of Columbia of such funds as may be necessary for the administration of this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on May 9, 1974. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on May 9, 1974: Referred to Senate Committee on District of Columbia.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
THOMAS EAGLETON (D-MO) introduced it on May 9, 1974. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on May 9, 1974, 19117 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19117 days ago, on May 9, 1974.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers