During the Government shutdown, the District of Columbia Courts will continue case resolution activities in all divisions and Family Court of the Superior Court and appeals in the Court of Appeals. Juvenile probation services provided by the Social Services Division will continue. The issuing of marriage licenses and performing marriage ceremonies will cease during the lapse, however Superior Court staff will continue to issue certified copies of vital records, which include certified copies of marriage certificates. These certificates are being issued from the Marriage Bureau. More information can be found here: https://www.dccourts.gov/about/organizational-performance/annual-reports
Know before you go!
The new Virtual DC Courts website, made in partnership with the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, allows you to see what our offices look like before you come to court. Offices and courts you can check out include Domestic Violence, Family, Landlord & Tenant, Probate, and Small Claims. Start here!
The Superior Court handles all local trial matters, including civil, criminal, family court, probate, tax, landlord-tenant, small claims, and traffic. The Superior Court is here to serve the community, and several initiatives and collaborative projects are under way to improve service to the public in our Nation's Capital.
The DC Court of Appeals is the equivalent of a state supreme court. As the highest court for the District of Columbia, the Court of Appeals is authorized to review all final orders, judgments and specified interlocutory orders of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Memorandum Opinions and Judgments (MOJs) are not published. However, lists of MOJs are posted monthly and go back to September 1999.
Learn moreDC Court of Appeals eFiling enables attorneys and self-represented litigants to view case dockets and submit filings electronically. The system features a publicly available real-time view of the case docket and a simple mechanism to submit filings to the court electronically and free of charge.
Learn moreThe Court now provides real-time access to oral arguments. The court operates two courtrooms; most arguments are held in the Court of Appeals Main Courtroom. On occasion, the court conducts arguments in its Ceremonial Courtroom; for example, en banc arguments are conducted in the Ceremonial Courtroom.
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