Washington, D.C., a city synonymous with federal authority, has a lesser-known but equally compelling story of local legal development. Since the advent of Home Rule in 1973, the District has carved out its own distinct legal identity—one shaped by the interplay between self-governance and federal oversight. Now, for the first time, this transformation has been comprehensively documented in a single, authoritative resource.

District Jurisprudence: The Sources of Legal History of Washington, D.C. in the Home Rule Era is a meticulously curated annotated bibliography by acclaimed legal historian and law librarian Christopher T. Anglim. It is the first and only comprehensive guide to the District’s legal history in the modern era, providing scholars, legal professionals, and historians with a vital reference point for exploring the unique legal dynamics of the nation’s capital.

Filling a Critical Gap in Legal Scholarship

As the seat of the federal government, legal developments in D.C. often resonate nationwide. Yet until now, no single volume has comprehensively chronicled this unique jurisdiction’s modern legal history. This annotated bibliography fills that void, providing scholars, legal practitioners, and historians with an indispensable guide to the statutes, cases, and institutions that have defined Washington, D.C.’s legal landscape. This must-have book aims to:

Trace the Evolution of D.C. Law

Offers insight into how Washington, D.C.’s legal system has grown and adapted since the Home Rule Act of 1973.

Promote Legal Historiography

Supports scholarship on D.C.’s legal history with a focus on its unique institutional and jurisprudential context.

Fill a Historical Gap

Serves as the first comprehensive legal history of the District, addressing a long-standing gap in legal literature.

Contextualize Key Legal Sources

Provides annotated sources on laws, statutes, and decisions that have defined D.C.’s legal framework.

Explore Features in this Must-Have Print Resource

Table of Contents

Summary of Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter I: Making of a New Nation’s Capital City
• Chapter II: How Will the District Be Governed?
• Chapter III: The Struggle for Self-Representation, 1961-1974
• Chapter IV: The District’s Home Rule Era, 1974-Present
• Chapter V: The Relationship between the District and the Federal Government
• Chapter VI: Federal and Local Conflicts under D.C.’s Home Rule Charter
• Chapter VII: Congressional Representation for the District
• Chapter VIII: District Autonomy
• Chapter IX: Statehood for the District of Columbia
• Chapter X: Retrocession
• Chapter XI: Criminal Law in the District of Columbia

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Key Sources

The District Clause

Examine the constitutional provision that empowers Congress with governing authority over Washington, D.C.

Home Rule Charter

Explore the foundational charter that created D.C.’s local government and set the boundaries of its self-rule powers.

Primary Legal Sources

Reference primary legal sources with binding authority including key statutes, cases, and regulations.

Legislative Sources

Dive into congressional records and D.C. Council publications to uncover the legislative intent.

Scholarly Analysis

Explore legal treatises and law review articles providing commentary on relevant issues.

Who is This Book For?

District Jurisprudence is an essential resource for anyone researching the legal, historical, or governmental evolution of the District of Columbia during its Home Rule era, including:

• Law students and professors studying constitutional law, federalism, state and local government, and legal history
• Legal historians and scholars interested in present and historical District Law and the development of state-like legal systems in non-state jurisdictions
• Judges, attorneys, and legal practitioners who engage with D.C. law or analyze its relationship to federal governance
• Archivists, librarians, and research professionals curating collections or assisting with legal and historical scholarship
• Policy experts and government officials examining intergovernmental relations, federal oversight, and autonomous governance models

About the Author: Christopher T. Anglim

Christopher T. Anglim brings over 35 years of experience as a law librarian, archivist, and professor. With a J.D. from Arizona State University and an M.L.S. from the University of Arizona, his academic background is as broad as it is deep—also including graduate degrees in history, public administration, homeland security, and nonprofit management.

Currently a professor at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. and the Washington College of Law, Anglim is active in several professional organizations, including the American Library Association (ALA), the Law Librarians’ Society of Washington, D.C. (LLSDC), and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC). He is also a past chair of AALL’s Government Documents section and a recipient of the prestigious Joseph L. Andrews Award for Excellence in Law Librarianship.

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District Jurisprudence: The Sources of Legal History of Washington, D.C. in the Home Rule Era
An Annotated Bibliography

Author: Christopher T. Anglim
Item #: 1000258
ISBN: 9780837743110
Pages: xiv, 170p. (184p. total)
1 Volume…$110.00
Published: Getzville; William S. Hein & Co., Inc.; 2025

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