Marie Johns

Marie Johns chairs the Council for Court Excellence board of directors and is a former candidate for D.C. mayor. The council has released a layman’s, step-by-step guide for D.C.’s juvenile justice system in English and Spanish. For a copy, contact the council at 202-785-5917.

What is the Council for Court Excellence?

The council is an organization that brings together several basic pillars of the community — the judicial system, the legal community, the civic community and the business community — to look at ways to help the public better understand our court system and to provide more information to help the court system run as well as possible.

What makes the court system so confusing?

There is bureaucracy, some of which is just necessary. But the gap was that so many people didn’t understand how the pieces fit together, and how to navigate the system. What the guide shows is how a case moves through the various checkpoints, from arrest to discharge, the role government organizations play, the rights of victims. The guide brings together all those pieces and tries to provide a cogent explanation.

Why does the juvenile justice system need a guide?

Last year, there were 3,000 youth prosecuted in Superior Court, and for many families it’s a bewildering system. We’re hoping this guide helps people get a better understanding.

What’s the ultimate goal?

As a civilized society, it’s important for us to do everything we can when a kid goes offtrack and ends up in the juvenile justice system É that when the young person is at the end of the process, they’re able to come from that and hopefully lead a productive adult life.

You’ve been asked to run for mayor again. Will you?

It’s flattering … [but] I have no intention of running again and I’m happy doing the work that I’m doing.
– Michael Neibauer