Commissioner Christian was born in Lynchburg, Virginia on February 16, 1953, to 

Robert and Alice Christian. She has resided in the District of Columbia for thirty-three (33) 

years. Commissioner Christian attended the public schools in the District of Columbia until 

her graduation from Dunbar Senior High School in 1971. She earned a Bachelor’s of Arts 

Degree in 1978 from Georgetown University where she was the first recipient of the 

Georgetown University Benjamin Banneker Scholarship Fund. 

Upon graduation from Georgetown University Law Center in 1978, Commissioner 

Christian joined the Office of General Counsel, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration and practiced environmental law. The following year she served as Law 

Clerk to the Honorable Henry H. Kennedy, Jr. Commissioner Christian was Judge 

Kennedy’s first law clerk. After completing her judicial clerkship, Commissioner Christian 

became an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the District of Columbia. As a trial assistant 

she prosecuted juvenile delinquents, child abuse/neglect cases, spousal and intrafamily 

abuse and abuse and neglect of the elderly. In 1983, Commissioner Christian was 

promoted to supervisor of trial attorneys with the Intra-Famikly Offense Unit of the Office of 

the Corporation Counsel where she remained until 1987, at which time she was sworn in 

by Chief Judge Fred B. Ugast as a Hearing Commissioner for the District of Columbia 

Superior Court. As a presiding judicial officer in the Civil, Criminal, and Family Division of the 

court, Commissioner Christian conducts hearings and enters final judgments in detention 

hearings, preliminary hearings, criminal non-jury trials, child support trials, divorces, mental 

retardation cases, and small claims proceedings. 

Her professional and Bar affiliations include the Bar of the Supreme Court of the 

United States of America, the National Association of Women Judges, the District of 

Columbia Bar, the Bar Association of the District of Columbia, the National Bar Association, 

the Washington Bar Association, and the Greater Washington Area Chapter of Black 

Women Attorneys. She is currently Treasurer for District 4 of the National Association of 

Women Judges. 

Commissioner Christian has received numerous Honors and Awards including an 

Award of Appreciation, District of Columbia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (1989); 

Award of Achievement, District of Columbia Public Schools (1989); Public Service Award, 

Government of the District of Columbia (1987); Award of Commendation, Mayor of the 

District of Columbia (1987); Award of Excellence in Christian Education, Mount Olive 

Baptist Church (1987); Award of Appreciation, American Burn Association (1987); Family 

Services Administration Award, Department of Human Services (1986); Award of Honor 

for Achievements and Contribution, District of Columbia Schools (1985); Outstanding 

Woman Award in Criminal Justice, Progressive D.C. Chapter, Federally Employed 

Women (1984); and the Benjamin Banneker Scholarship, Georgetown University (1971). 

Katherine Christian is a member of the District of Columbia Superior Court Criminal 

Justice Act Committee and a member of the District of Columbia Superior Court Rules 

Committee where she chairs the Subcommittee on Intrafamily Rules. She also is a 

member of Mount Olive Baptist Church where she has taught Sunday School for the past 

twenty-one years. 

Commissioner Christian is married to Mr. Ernest A. Washington and has a five year 

old son, Christian A. Washington.