Council oversight hearing: OAH reports record filings and staffing shortfalls as database goes live

The Committee on Public Works and Operations held a performance oversight hearing on Feb. 6, 2025, for the District's Office of Administrative Hearings. Chair Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau convened the meeting in Room 412 of the Wilson Building and by Zoom. Witnesses from legal aid groups, access-to-justice organizations and OAH detailed a record increase in filings, persistent staffing vacancies and early steps to improve public access to OAH decisions.

Advocates described long delays for residents who appeal government decisions that affect benefits, housing and daily necessities. Rebecca Steele, an attorney with Legal Aid DC, said publicly filed cases surged in fiscal year 2024 and that many clients are still waiting for initial scheduling orders months after filing. "The benefits district residents are seeking when they go to OAH simply cannot wait," Steele said, describing clients who waited months for status conferences and who lost possessions or access to critical services while appeals were pending.

Why it matters: OAH is the neutral administrative forum where residents appeal decisions by District agencies, including the Department of Human Services and enforcement actions from agencies such as the Department of Public Works. Delays in adjudication can extend or deny access to SNAP, Medicaid, cash assistance and other time-sensitive benefits.

Record filings and service impacts

Chief Administrative Law Judge Colleen L. J. Curry told the committee OAH received 33,745 new cases in fiscal year 2024, a 28% increase over FY23, and that filings in the first quarter of FY25 rose 46% compared with the prior year. Curry said if the filing rate continues, OAH could see more than 50,000 cases in FY25. She provided a breakdown of key filers: the Department of Public Works (11,459 cases, about 34% of…