District of Columbia Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure
170 rules across 14 groups · 149 active
The District of Columbia's civil-procedure rules are cited as “Super. Ct. Civ. R.” and were adopted by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia under its rulemaking authority in D.C. Code § 11-946, with Court of Appeals approval required for any rule that modifies the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. They closely track the Federal Rules while interleaving genuine local additions directly into the same numbering sequence (e.g. Rule 4-I, Rule 69-II), and include a further block of purely local rules numbered above 100 governing attorneys, court records, and fiduciary proceedings. Browse the full set below, with verbatim rule text, the official Comments the Superior Court publishes alongside its rules, and a plain-English summary for every rule.
I. Scope of Rules; Form of Action
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 2 active rules · 2 in the official compilation
II. Commencing an Action; Service of Process, Pleadings, Motions, and Orders
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 14 active rules · 14 in the official compilation
- Rule 3 Commencing an Action
- Rule 3-I Actions Involving Real Property
- Rule 4 Summons
- Rule 4-I Service by Publication
- Rule 4.1 Serving Other Process
- Rule 5 Serving and Filing Pleadings and Other Papers
- Rule 5-I Proof of Service
- Rule 5-II Pleadings and Orders Affecting Estates of Veterans
- Rule 5-III Sealed or Confidential Documents
- Rule 5.1 Challenge to Validity or Constitutionality of a District of Columbia Statute, Order, Regulation, or Enactment—Constitutional Challenge to a Federal or State Statute—Notice, Certification, and Intervention
- Rule 5.1-I Intervention by the United States or the District of Columbia
- Rule 5.2 Privacy Protection for Filings Made with the Court
- Rule 6 Computing and Extending Time; Time for Motion Papers
- Rule 6-I Continuous Session of Court
III. Pleadings and Motions
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 16 active rules · 17 in the official compilation
- Rule 7 Pleadings Allowed; Form of Motions and Other Papers
- Rule 7-I Stipulations
- Rule 7.1 Disclosure Statement
- Rule 8 General Rules of Pleading
- Rule 9 Pleading Special Matters
- Rule 9-I Verifications, Affidavits, and Declarations
- Rule 10 Form of Pleadings
- Rule 10-I Pleadings: Stationery and Locational Information
- Rule 11 Signing Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Representations to Court; Sanctions
- Rule 12 Defenses and Objections: When and How Presented; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings; Consolidating Motions; Waiving Defenses; Pretrial Hearing
- Rule 12-I Motions Practice
- Rule 13 Counterclaim and Crossclaim
- Rule 14 Third-Party Practice
- Rule 15 Amended and Supplemental Pleadings
- Rule 16 Pretrial Conferences; Pretrial Status Conferences; Scheduling; Management
- Rule 16-I Deleted Deleted
- Rule 16-II Failure to Appear for Conference
IV. Parties
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 12 active rules · 13 in the official compilation
- Rule 17 Plaintiff and Defendant; Capacity; Public Officers
- Rule 18 Joinder of Claims
- Rule 19 Required Joinder of Parties
- Rule 20 Permissive Joinder of Parties
- Rule 21 Misjoinder and Nonjoinder of Parties
- Rule 22 Interpleader
- Rule 23 Class Actions
- Rule 23-I Class Actions: Procedure for Determining Whether Action May Be Maintained as Class Action; Additional Notice Requirements
- Rule 23-II Deleted Deleted
- Rule 23.1 Derivative Actions
- Rule 23.2 Actions Relating to Unincorporated Associations
- Rule 24 Intervention
- Rule 25 Substitution of Parties
V. Disclosures and Discovery
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 14 active rules · 14 in the official compilation
- Rule 26 Duty to Disclose; General Provisions Governing Discovery
- Rule 27 Depositions to Perpetuate Testimony
- Rule 28 Persons Before Whom Depositions May Be Taken
- Rule 28-I Interstate Depositions and Discovery Procedures
- Rule 28-II Appointment of Examiner to Take Testimony of a Witness Residing Outside the District of Columbia; Commissions
- Rule 29 Stipulations About Discovery Procedure
- Rule 30 Depositions by Oral Examination
- Rule 31 Depositions by Written Questions
- Rule 32 Using Depositions in Court Proceedings
- Rule 33 Interrogatories to Parties
- Rule 34 Producing Documents, Electronically Stored Information, and Tangible Things, or Entering onto Land, for Inspection and Other Purposes
- Rule 35 Physical and Mental Examinations
- Rule 36 Requests for Admission
- Rule 37 Failure to Cooperate in Discovery; Sanctions
VI. Trials
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 26 active rules · 31 in the official compilation
- Rule 38 Right to a Jury Trial; Demand
- Rule 38-I Deleted Deleted
- Rule 38-II Failure to Appear for Trial as Consent to Trial Without Jury
- Rule 39 Trial by Jury or by the Court
- Rule 39-I Appearance at Trial
- Rule 39-II Number of Counsel
- Rule 40 Omitted Omitted
- Rule 40-I Assignment of Cases
- Rule 40-II Designation and Assignment of Cases to Civil I Calendars
- Rule 40-III Collection and Subrogation Cases
- Rule 41 Dismissal of Actions
- Rule 41-I Deleted Deleted
- Rule 42 Consolidation; Separate Trials
- Rule 43 Evidence
- Rule 43-I Record of a Regularly Conducted Activity; Public Record; Photographic Copies
- Rule 43-II Deleted Deleted
- Rule 44 Proving an Official Record
- Rule 44-I Proving Statutes, Ordinances, and Regulations
- Rule 44.1 Determining Foreign Law
- Rule 45 Subpoena
- Rule 46 Objecting to a Ruling or Order
- Rule 47 Selecting Jurors
- Rule 47-I Deleted Deleted
- Rule 48 Number of Jurors; Verdict; Polling
- Rule 49 Special Verdict; General Verdict and Questions
- Rule 50 Judgment as a Matter of Law in a Jury Trial; Related Motion for a New Trial; Conditional Ruling
- Rule 51 Instructions to the Jury; Objections; Preserving a Claim of Error
- Rule 52 Findings and Conclusions by the Court; Judgment on Partial Findings
- Rule 53 Masters
- Rule 53-I Auditor-Master Fees
- Rule 53-II Deposit for Expenses
VII. Judgment
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 19 active rules · 20 in the official compilation
- Rule 54 Judgment; Costs
- Rule 54-I Witness Fees; Costs of Depositions, Transcripts, and Bonds
- Rule 54-II Waiver of Costs, Fees, or Security
- Rule 55 Default; Default Judgment
- Rule 55-I Withdrawal of Jury Demand After Default
- Rule 55-II Ex Parte Proof by Motion of Pecuniary Losses; Deficiency Judgment
- Rule 55-III Vacating Default or Default Judgment by Consent
- Rule 56 Summary Judgment
- Rule 57 Declaratory Judgment
- Rule 58 Entering Judgment
- Rule 59 New Trial; Altering or Amending a Judgment
- Rule 60 Relief from a Judgment or Order
- Rule 61 Harmless Error
- Rule 62 Stay of Proceedings to Enforce a Judgment
- Rule 62-I Deleted Deleted
- Rule 62-II Application for Termination of Stay or for Entry of Judgment
- Rule 62-III Enforcing Foreign Judgments; Recognizing Foreign-Country Money Judgments
- Rule 62.1 Indicative Ruling on a Motion for Relief That Is Barred by a Pending Appeal
- Rule 63 Judge’s or Magistrate Judge’s Inability to Proceed
- Rule 63-I Bias or Prejudice of a Judge or Magistrate Judge
VIII. Provisional and Final Remedies
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 16 active rules · 16 in the official compilation
- Rule 64 Seizing a Person or Property
- Rule 64-I Attachment Before Judgment
- Rule 64-II Replevin Actions
- Rule 65 Injunctions and Restraining Orders
- Rule 65.1 Proceedings Against a Security Provider
- Rule 66 Receivers
- Rule 67 Deposit into Court
- Rule 67-I Recording Money Paid to or by Clerk
- Rule 68 Offer of Judgment
- Rule 68-I Judgment by Confession or Consent
- Rule 69 Execution
- Rule 69-I Attachment After Judgment
- Rule 69-II Particular Provisions for Attachments of Wages After Judgment
- Rule 70 Enforcing a Judgment for a Specific Act
- Rule 70-I Confirming, Vacating, or Modifying Arbitration Awards Under the Arbitration Amendments Act of 2007 (Revised Uniform Arbitration Act)
- Rule 71 Enforcing Relief for or Against a Nonparty
IX. Special Proceedings
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 3 active rules · 7 in the official compilation
- Rule 71.1 Condemning Real or Personal Property
- Rule 71.1-I Proceedings for Forfeiture of Property
- Rule 72 Deleted Deleted
- Rule 73 Magistrate Judges: Trial by Consent; Appeal
- Rule 74 Omitted Omitted
- Rule 75 Omitted Omitted
- Rule 76 Omitted Omitted
X. Superior Court and Clerk
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 5 active rules · 8 in the official compilation
- Rule 77 Conducting Business; Clerk’s Authority; Notice of an Order or Judgment
- Rule 77-I Deleted Deleted
- Rule 77-II Uncontested Motions for Security for Costs
- Rule 78 Omitted Omitted
- Rule 78-I Deleted Deleted
- Rule 79 Records Kept by the Clerk
- Rule 79-I Copies and Custody of Filed Papers
- Rule 80 Stenographic or Digitally Recorded Transcript as Evidence
XI. General Provisions
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 7 active rules · 9 in the official compilation
- Rule 81 Applicability of the Rules in General
- Rule 82 Jurisdiction Unaffected
- Rule 83 Directives by Judge or Magistrate Judge
- Rule 83-I Amendments of or Additions to Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure
- Rule 84 Forms
- Rule 85 Title
- Rule 86 Effective Dates
- Rule 86-I Deleted Deleted
- Rule 87 Omitted Omitted
XII. Attorneys and Counsel
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 2 active rules · 4 in the official compilation
- Rule 101 Appearance and Withdrawal of Attorneys
- Rule 102 Deleted Deleted
- Rule 103 Deleted Deleted
- Rule 104 Avoidance and Resolution of Conflicts in Engagements of Counsel
XIII. Court Records and Administrative Rules
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 3 active rules · 5 in the official compilation
- Rule 201 Recording of Court Proceedings; Release of Transcripts; Restrictions on Use of Electronic Recording Devices, Photography, and Broadcasting
- Rule 202 Not adopted Not adopted
- Rule 203 Deleted Deleted
- Rule 204 Administrative Searches and Inspections
- Rule 205 Change of Name or Gender Designation
XIV. Fiduciary Proceedings
Cited as Super. Ct. Civ. R. · 10 active rules · 10 in the official compilation
- Rule 301 Compensation of Conservators and Guardians of Infants
- Rule 302 Duties and Compensation of a Guardian Ad Litem in Conservatorship Proceedings
- Rule 303 Bonds and Undertakings
- Rule 304 Trustees, Conservators, Guardians Ad Litem, and Other Fiduciaries
- Rule 305 Trust Funds; Fiduciaries
- Rule 306 Investments by a Fiduciary
- Rule 307 Dower; Life Estate
- Rule 308 Court Sales of Real and Personal Property
- Rule 309 Conferences
- Rule 310 Conservatorships
Rules 16-I, 23-II, 38-I, 41-I, 43-II, 47-I, 62-I, 72, 77-I, 78-I, 86-I, 102, and 103 are printed in the official rules as "[Deleted]." with no rule text; Rules 40, 74, 75, 76, 78, and 87 are printed as "[Omitted]." with no rule text. All are shown unlinked. Rule 202 was never adopted -- a genuine numbering gap confirmed absent from the source entirely, shown as a muted "Not adopted" row. Titles XII-XIV are this site's own descriptive groupings for the "local Rules bearing numbers above 100" (the source's own phrase), which carry no official Title heading of their own in this source.