U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

1/05/2024

U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

c/o E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse

333 Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC  20001 

Dear U.S. District Judge AliKhan,

My name is Matt Winick, an Asian American from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. U.S. District Judge AliKhan, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work when you served as 2nd Solicitor General of the District of Columbia, as former Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and as current U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to be very inspiring to me. 

When you served as 2nd Solicitor General of the District of Columbia from 2018-2022, I liked on how you supported advancing civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, working with Attorney General Karl Racine of District of Columbia to expand on laws to combat against hate crimes to help protect minorities including people who are different, and investigating public places that practice different forms of discrimination or violate civil rights.  Supported drug treatment programs to help drug users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse, worked on expansion of community service to help non-violent offenders, non-violent juveniles, and people with mental health issues get help on rehabilitation instead of strict sentencing, pushed for more programs to help victims of crime including victims of domestic violence get help to resources, and advocating while support the need for funds to improve DNA testing including forensic science to help solve evidence or cases efficiently to help reduce sending an innocent person to jail is common sense.  Also on criminal justice reform,  I like on how to implemented wrongful conviction unit to help investigate any cases or trials that have misconduct in order to reduce sending people who are falsely accused of a crime that they didn’t commit,  launch investigation into law enforcement that do misconduct or use police brutality against innocent citizens or minorities, and working with other mental health services to better improve services to help assist people who struggle with mental health or have a mental illness get help. In your role as  former Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals from 2022-2023, I like on how you are a continuous supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities rights and criminal justice reform. In December 2023, I was amazed on how you made history on becoming the first South Asian to become a federal judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In your current role as U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia I like on how you are a continuous strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights, criminal justice reform, and advocate for better mental health services to help people who struggle with mental health get help. Another thing that I like about your work in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is  how you are a continuous strong supporter of protecting civil liberties like the fourth amendment to help protect people from unreasonable searches. 

U.S. District Judge AliKhan, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advanced subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts in different settings, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Also being an Asian American with a disability is difficult for me because some Asians including some Asian Americans tease me including get judgmental about me being different from them. Your continuous commitment to be a strong supporter of the Asian community and advocate for Asian American with disabilities’ rights gives me some inspiration to continue to be proud to be an Asian American when I face struggles in fitting in.  Your role as former 2nd Solicitor General of the District of Columbia, as former Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and as current U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia helps give me motivation to continue to learn history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. 

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference for society. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights, push while advocate for criminal justice reform, and many others. You truly inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn more about your work, be confident about being an Asian American with a disability, and continue to learn different subjects. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to advocate and push for common sense ideas.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick