Gemma Antoine-Belton, a seasoned attorney, has extensive experience in criminal defense, civil litigation, and probate law. She has spent nearly 40 years working in the legal field. Gemma Antoine-Belton earned her juris doctor from Howard University School of Law and a bachelor of arts in economics and political science from Howard University.
Ms. Antoine-Belton began her legal career as a solo practitioner, founding the Law Office of Gemma Antoine-Belton in Washington, D.C. As a family court litigator, she represented parents, children, and juvenile defendants in cases involving neglect, abuse, and delinquency. She later transitioned to traffic law, advocating for clients facing traffic-related charges as well as welfare fraud allegations. Her roles included conducting investigations, drafting and arguing pretrial motions, and representing clients in hearings.
Expanding her legal expertise, Ms. Antoine-Belton became a criminal defense attorney under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA), representing indigent defendants in felony and misdemeanor cases. In this role, she handled over 5,000 cases and participated in over 400 jury and bench trials.
For over 35 years, she has also litigated civil cases in the D.C. Superior Court (Civil Division, Landlord & Tenant, and Small Claims). Her practice included filing complaints, conducting discovery, managing depositions, negotiating settlements, and preparing for trials. Most recently, Gemma Antoine-Belton has shifted her focus to probate law in the DC Superior Court. Working as a solo practitioner, her primary roles entail administering decedents' estates and serving as a guardian and conservator for incapacitated adults.