Policy victory: D.C. enacts “Strengthening Probate” legislation

The Strengthening Probate Administration Amendment Act of 2024 was passed by D.C. Council in December, signed by Mayor Bowser in January, and became law on March 21, 2025. The legislation, which is based on recommendations from our 2022 report, Strengthening Probate Administration in the District of Columbia, is the first major probate reform enacted in the District since 2001.  

We are incredibly proud to see CCE's work informing new laws in D.C. and are grateful to bill sponsor Councilmember Charles Allen, D.C. Access to Justice Commission, and our other key collaborators for championing these important probate improvements through D.C. Council over the past 18 months.

Going forward in 2025, CCE will focus on technical details of the law’s implementation, community education about the law, championing other still-needed reforms, and updating our popular resource, When Someone Dies: A Non-Lawyer's Guide to Probate in Washington, D.C., to reflect the new legal changes.