The District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission (JNC) is pleased to announce that it has nominated Magistrate Judge Milton C. Lee Jr. to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, filling a judicial vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Jerry S. Byrd. The JNC nominates Judge Lee pursuant to DC Code § 1-204.34, the statute that created the JNC and established the process for filling judicial vacancies on the Superior Court and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
On October 2, 2009, in accordance with DC Code § 1-204.34(d)(I), the JNC submitted to President Barack Obama a list of three candidates for his consideration in selecting a nominee to fill the Byrd vacancy. Under that provision, the President has 60 days to select a nominee. In the event that the President does not nominate a candidate within the 60-day time period, the statute requires the JNC to nominate one of the three candidates, and, with the advise and consent of the Senate, appoint that person to fill the vacancy. After 60 days passed without a nomination by the President, the JNC initiated a process to select a nominee from among the three candidates and nominated Judge Lee. On January 20, 2010, the JNC transmitted its nomination to the United States Senate.
Judge Lee is a native of Washington, DC. In 1982, he received his undergraduate degree from the School of Justice at American University. In 1985, he received his law degree from the Catholic University Columbus School of Law.
Since 1997, Judge Lee has served as a Magistrate Judge in the Superior Court's Criminal and Civil Divisions, and he currently serves in the Family Court. Judge Lee also presides over the Fathering Court Initiative, a treatment oriented approach to reuniting children with their non-custodial parents recently released from prison. Since 2007, he has served as presiding Magistrate Judge and continues to serve on numerous court committees.
Prior to his appointment as a Magistrate Judge, Judge Lee was an Associate Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia's David A. Clarke School of Law. While teaching in the law school's Juvenile Law Clinic, he also taught several substantive courses and published several articles. Judge Lee continues to teach at the law school as an adjunct professor.
From 1985 to 1993, Judge Lee was a member of the District of Columbia Public Defender Service, where he tried numerous serious felony cases. From 1990 to 1991, while on leave from the Public Defender Service, he taught at the Georgetown University Law Center's Criminal Justice Clinic as a visiting associate professor of law. Thereafter, he returned to the Public Defender Service, where he supervised trial attorneys as Deputy Trial Chief.
All questions concerning the nomination of Judge Lee should be directed to the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan, Chair of the Judicial Nomination Commission, at (202) 354-3260 or [email protected].