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2 Councilmember Anita Bonds Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr.
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7 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Charles Allen
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12 Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Vincent C. Gray
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17 Councilmember Christina Henderson Councilmember Zachary Parker
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23 A CEREMONIAL
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27 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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29 ____________________
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31 To posthumously recognize and honor Chief Judge Erika L. Pierson’s remarkable commitment to
32 increasing access to justice and safeguarding the welfare of District residents, and her
33 distinguished years of public service in the District of Columbia.
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35 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson was a native of New York City where she attended
36 Marymount School in Manhattan and relocated to Washington, DC in 1995 and dedicated her life
37 to enhancing the welfare of children and families in the District of Columbia;
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39 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson was a graduate of Grinnell College and Northern Illinois
40 University College of Law;
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42 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson began her career with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s
43 Office in Chicago, Illinois where she represented the county in criminal appeals and prosecuted
44 child abuse and neglect;
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46 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson spent eight years prosecuting Child Abuse & Neglect at the
47 Office of the Attorney General in the District of Columbia and was Chief of the Child Abuse &
48 Neglect Section;
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50 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson served three years as the General Counsel for DC Public
51 Schools and the Board of Education;
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53 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson spent 13 years as a Principal Administrative Law Judge at the
54 DC Office of Administrative Hearings, where she focused on cases related to Rental Housing,
55 student discipline and residency cases, and cases involving unemployment compensation,
56 worker’s compensation, notices of infraction, public benefits, and tax appeals;
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58 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson was a certified mediator and proficient in alternative dispute
59 resolution;
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61 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson served as Chief Administrative Law Judge for the DC
62 Commission on Human Rights and the DC Office of Human Rights from 2019-2024;
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64 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson was not only known for her accomplishments and
65 commitment to service; she also made work fun, decorating the office for holidays and always
66 remembering her colleagues’ birthdays;
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68 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson is remembered for her love of dance, music, and theater and
69 her ability to sew, cook, and bake, particularly her amazing cheesecake;
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71 WHEREAS, Judge Pierson was known in some circles as Erika “MacGyver” for her
72 ability to make or fix anything and always having the right tool at the right time; and
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74 WHEREAS, Judge Peirson will be remembered for increasing access to justice, making it
75 easier, clearer, and friendlier for pre se litigants and the public, and as a loving partner to Dr.
76 Wendell Peirson and mom to Corey, Kyle, and Kamryn, and a thoughtful, trusted colleague.
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78 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
79 resolution may be cited as the “Chief Judge Erika Pierson Recognition Resolution of 2024.”
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81 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and honors Judge Pierson for
82 her passion for increasing access to justice, her dedication to children and families, and her
83 commitment to the District of Columbia.
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85 Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in
86 the District of Columbia Register.