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Ask the Right Office: District of Columbia

Pick a problem to see the office, the official rule, the deadlines and who must file. Then fill in a plain-English letter in your browser, print or save it as a PDF, and add a follow-up date to your calendar.

What this page can and can't tell you

Can: Which office to write to and how to put together a clear letter.

Can't: It can't give an official release date, say whether a specific person qualifies, or give legal advice. Only the DOC, the board or a court decides.

A letter doesn't replace the required official grievance form or procedure, and those have deadlines. If you're worried about retaliation, keep copies and dates of everything you send, and tell the person's attorney or a legal aid office if anything changes afterward.

Free legal help: Legal Services Corporation: find legal aid (civil matters). For criminal cases, ask the public defender's office that handled the case.






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District of Columbia at a glance

ProblemOfficeDeadline to fileResponse deadline
Time calculation reviewIGP Coordinator (Informal Resolution form in the housing unit IGP box)Within 5 calendar days of the incident.Informal: 15 business days. Formal Grievance (within 5 calendar days of the informal response): 15 business days.
Credit (good time) disputeIGP Coordinator (Informal Resolution form in the housing unit IGP box)Within 5 calendar days of the incident.Informal: 15 business days. Formal Grievance (within 5 calendar days of the informal response): 15 business days.
Medical request or complaintIGP Coordinator (Informal Resolution form in the housing unit IGP box)Within 5 calendar days of the incident.Informal: 15 business days. Formal Grievance (within 5 calendar days of the informal response): 15 business days.
Visit or mail denial appealIGP Coordinator (Informal Resolution form in the housing unit IGP box)Within 5 calendar days of the incident.Informal: 15 business days. Formal Grievance (within 5 calendar days of the informal response): 15 business days.
Records requestThe records custodian at the agency that keeps the recordNo filing deadline in the statute.Within 15 days (not counting weekends and holidays): provide the record or explain a denial. Extensions up to 10 more working days.
Parole fileNot publishedNot publishedNot published
Disability (ADA) accommodationIGP Coordinator (Informal Resolution form in the housing unit IGP box)Within 5 calendar days of the incident.Informal: 15 business days. Formal Grievance (within 5 calendar days of the informal response): 15 business days.
Transfer or classificationNot publishedNot publishedNot published

Grievance rule: DC DOC PP 4030.1N, Inmate Grievance Procedure (04-25-2024) (opens in new tab). Records: D.C. Code § 2-532 (DC FOIA) (opens in new tab). Who files a grievance: The inmate.

Not legal advice. Rules change and facilities may add local steps; the official text controls. Missing a deadline can end a claim. Find free legal aid (LSC) (opens in new tab). Last checked .

Other states · District of Columbia credit rules · Check a release calculation · Release countdown · What do I do now?

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