These rules may be cited as “Super. Ct. Civ. R. __.”
Rule 85.Title
Group XI: General Provisions · Last amended 2017 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 85 gives the District of Columbia Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure their official short name, 'Super. Ct. Civ. R. __,' so that every filing, opinion, and cross-reference cites them the same way.
Full Text of Rule 85
Comments
2017 Amendments:
This rule has been amended consistent with the 2007 stylistic changes to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 85. The citation for the Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure has been updated to conform to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Citation and Style Guide.
Comment:
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 85 has been deleted and a rule substituted therefor which provides a convenient way of describing and citing these Rules.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 85 does one job: it names these rules. Anyone citing the District of Columbia Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure in a brief, an order, or a footnote uses the same short form — 'Super. Ct. Civ. R.' followed by the rule number — rather than inventing a citation style case by case.
A citation rule sounds like a formality, but consistency matters once a body of rules runs past a hundred numbered provisions, several carrying lettered and decimal add-ons like "69-II" or "44.1." A fixed short title keeps citations readable across the whole set and keeps them aligned with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals' own citation and style guide, which is exactly why this rule was updated in 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the official short name for these rules?
'Super. Ct. Civ. R.' followed by the rule number, as Rule 85 provides.
Why does a rule about citation format exist at all?
It gives everyone — courts, attorneys, self-represented parties — a single fixed way to cite the civil rules, instead of leaving citation style to individual habit across filings and opinions.
Does Rule 85 change any procedure in a case?
No. It sets a naming and citation convention only; it has no effect on how a case is filed, litigated, or decided.
Does the short-title format cover rules with letter or decimal suffixes, like 69-II or 44.1?
Yes. The same short form applies with the specific rule number and suffix inserted in place of the blank.
Where did this rule come from?
The federal counterpart to this rule was deleted, and the District of Columbia substituted a local rule describing how to cite its own Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure; the current text was updated in 2017 to match the D.C. Court of Appeals Citation and Style Guide.
Source & verification. Rule text and official Comments are
reproduced verbatim from the District of Columbia Superior Court Rules of Civil
Procedure, adopted by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Last verified July 14, 2026.
· Official source
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