DC Courts' CoronaVirus Advisories

DC Court of Appeals Update 5/21/2020 Order Regarding DC Court of Appeals Operating Status through June 30

DC Superior Court Update - DC Superior Court May 14 Order expanding the number and types of cases that will be heard through June 19.
Ver orden enmendada expandiendo los tipos y número de casos hasta el 19 de junio de 2020.
ትዕዛዝ 5/14/20 ተሻሽሏል

DC Superior Court Promulgation Order (20-04) and Board of Judges Resolution increasing the the Crime Victims Compensation Program's maximum for food and emergency shelter during the pandemic - 4/15/2020 - 6pm

DC Superior Court Update - 4/1/2020 - 6pm

Addendum to the General Order of March 18, updated March 19, to clarify the status of expiration dates for Deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs), deferred sentencing agreements (DSAs) and probationary terms in matters pending in the Criminal and Domestic Violence Divisions.
 

Superior Court Advisory 3/31/2020 - 4pm

The Civil Division has an addendum to the general order addressing the tolling of various deadlines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see the links below in English and Spanish.
Addendum to General Order Addressing Tolling of Deadlines due to COVID-19
Addendum a la Orden General Relativa a los Casos Civiles

ወረርሽኝ በተመለከተ ለተላለፈው ጠቅላላ ትእዛዝ ተጨማሪ መግለጫ (አደንደም)  

DC SUPERIOR COURT ADVISORY - March 27, 2020, 4pm

The following two orders were issued this afternoon:

• Order Suspending Weekend Jail Sentences until June 5
• Order Suspending Execution of Certain Misdemeanor Bench Warrants
   

DC Court of Appeals Order 3/23/2020 -3pm

DCCA Order Updating 3/16 Order, Covering Operations through May 31

 

DC Superior Court Update - Sunday 3/22, 2:30pm

ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, FOR FILING EMERGENCY MOTIONS FOR RELEASE FROM CUSTODY DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

 

Order Further Reducing DC Superior Court Court Operations - 3/18/2020, updated 3/19/2020, 4pm

March 19 - 4pm - The update is a clarification, made in response to inquiries the court has received and to ensure understanding of the full scope of the suspension of time limits imposed by statutes and court rules.

Vea la orden de reducción de operaciones en el Tribunal Superior - 3/19/20
 

የሱፒርየር ፍርድ ቤት አሰራሮች የቀነሰ ትእዛዝ

Statement of DC Court of Appeals Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, chair of the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration - March 18 - 1:30pm

This morning the Joint Committee on Judicial Administration issued this order invoking emergency authority under the DC Code to give DC Superior Court Chief Judge Morin and me the authority to take needed steps during this public health crisis to toll deadlines and make other necessary changes to our respective court operations and rules to address the coronavirus risk. The DC Courts are endeavoring to meet emergency needs of the community, while minimizing exposure risk to the greatest extent possible.

Joint Committee on Judicial Administration Emergency Authority Order

 

See information and resources available for self-represented litigants: LawHelp.org/DC.

LIST OF LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THOSE WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY.

Please check each division tab for information on current orders and operations.

Parties may file, and the court will rule on, applications for waivers of  filing fees and other costs. See more in the March 18 General Order.

DC Courts Update 4/6/2020 6pm - The Consumer Law Resource Center may be contacted by phone for assistance with emergency matters in a consumer case, such as attachment/freezing a bank account, contact the Consumer Law Resource Center at their temporary number, 202-780-2574. Please also see the 4/6 notice for information regarding free legal help with landlord tenant and other housing issues.

DC Superior Court Update - Clerk’s Offices Remote Operations 3/26/2020

In response to COVID-19 all clerk’s offices for Superior Court are operating in a remote status with no staff on-site. We have employees available to answer questions via telephone, email and Live Chat. Due to the limited resources for processing mail, please call or email a request, document or image of a document to avoid a delay in processing your request. Below is information regarding operations that will be conducted remotely by the Clerk’s Offices. All emergency hearings will be conducted by the judge remotely.

Clerk's Offices Remote Operations Information

Vea en Español: Notificación de las Operaciones de las Oficinas de la Secretaría.

የሱፒርየር ፍርድ ቤት የክለርክ (ጸሀፊ) ቢሮዎች የርቀት አሰራሮች (ሪሞት ኦፐሬሽንስ)

DC Courts Update - 3/25/2020 - 6pm

LIST OF LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THOSE WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY

 

Those summoned for either petit and grand need not report. Jurors can complete the juror questionnaire, defer jury duty service and make requests to be excused from jury duty service online at www.dccourts.gov/jurorservices. Jurors can also email the completed questionnaire or an image of their completed questionnaire to jurorhelp [at] dcsc.gov. The Jurors’ Office is returning calls to those who leave messages on 202-879- 4604, responding to emails sent to jurorhelp [at] dcsc.gov and available 8:30am-5pm Monday through Friday to answer questions on Live Chat (click on the Live Chat button on the right side of the webpage at https://www.dccourts.gov/jurors/about-your-juryduty).

DC COURT OF APPEALS UPDATE 5/22/2020 -- Due to the overwhelming level of interest in the September 2020 DC Bar Examination, the court will not be able to seat applicants who do not meet the priority criteria listed in the court’s May 4 Order. The Court expects to open registration for additional priority applicants and will provide two days’ notice prior to opening the applications. Please check this website for updates.

5/21/2020 Order Regarding DC Court of Appeals Operating Status through June 30

The Historic Courthouse remains closed due to the pandemic. Oral arguments will take place via videoconference beginning May 26; arguments will be live-streamed to the DC Courts' YouTube Channel. Parties please note changes to tolling of filing deadlines. Emergency filings should be emailed to emergencyfilings [at] dcappeals.gov. The order contains email addresses for questions from the public and the bar.

DC Court of Appeals Update - 5/4

The DC Court of Appeals Committee on Admissions has set September 9 and 10 for the next DC Bar Exam. Click here to see the May 4 order with more detailed information about registration).

DC Court of Appeals Update - 4/10 @ 1pm

The July DC Bar Exam has been cancelled (PDF) ; final decision re: fall bar exam to be announced by May 4.

3/23/2020 Order Regarding DC Court of Appeals Operating Status

By Order of the Chief Judge, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals has further adjusted its operations to address concerns regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), through May 31, 2020. This order supersedes the 3/16 order.

Statement of Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby/DC Court of Appeals coronavirus advisory - March 16, 2pm

As Chair of the DC Courts' Joint Committee on Judicial Administration, I want to assure the public that the DC Courts understand the urgency of addressing the Coronavirus emergency. I also want to keep the public informed of the latest steps the DC Courts are taking to reduce risks of the Coronavirus while also ensuring that urgent criminal justice and public safety matters are handled and access to justice is maintained.

As you can see in the advisories posted in the last few days on www.dccourts.gov/coronavirus, the DC Superior Court has significantly reduced its operations, and only those matters that are urgent and crucial to public safety will go forward.

The DC Court of Appeals has just posted an updated and more detailed Coronavirus operations plan. The Court is not closing and is open for all new filings, through our eFiling process and via email for pro se parties who are not registered eFilers. The court will continue to decide motions and issue decisions on already argued and submitted cases during this time. However, all oral arguments scheduled through March 31, 2020, are cancelled. The Court will continue to decide cases on the summary calendar. Filing deadlines are being tolled until March 31, meaning if a filing is due 3/16 to 3/30, it may be filed on 3/31. The Court's eFiling rules that require that two paper copies be provided to the court are suspended. The Committee on Admissions (CoA) and the Committee on Unauthorized Practice of Law offices will be closed to the public until 3/31. However, the CoA Office will continue to receive and process applications, and grade the February 2020 bar exam. Appellate mediations will be rescheduled. Please see the order below (it's also available on https://www.dccourts.gov/court-of-appeals).

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we all collectively deal with this unprecedented health crisis.

Order regarding the District of Columbia Court of Appeals is adjusting its operations to address concerns regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

 

** Beginning on Monday, May 18, judges will conduct telephonic hearings on emergency and urgent matters in CA cases five days per week in three virtual courtrooms. Until further order, the Division will not conduct trials.

The Civil Division has an addendum to the general order addressing the tolling of various deadlines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see the links below in English, Spanish and Amharic.

Addendum to General Order Addressing Tolling of Deadlines due to COVID-19
Addendum a la Orden General Relativa a los Casos Civiles
ወረርሽኝ በተመለከተ ለተላለፈው ጠቅላላ ትእዛዝ ተጨማሪ መግለጫ (አደንደም)

See also: Addendum to the General Order Concerning Civil Cases (Amended May 26) explaining deadlines and tolling.

The Clerk of Court's 3/26 Remote Operations Summary provided that the Civil Division will continue to process all documents submitted via eFiling. Emergency motions will be forwarded to the judge for review. Attorneys and self-represented litigants can file documents electronically using Case File Express at https://dc.casefilexpress.com/Login.aspx. Self-Represented litigants without access to eFiling can file emergency motions and applications for waiver of prepayment of cost (Fee Waiver Applications) by emailing these documents to Civilefilings [at] dcsc.gov. Fee Waiver Applications are available on our website's Judge in Chambers page

Emergency motions should be emailed to civilefilings [at] dcsc.gov.

Inquiries can be directed to the various Civil Clerk’s Offices using the following telephone numbers or by clicking the Live Chat button located on the right side of the webpage.
Civil Actions Branch: 879-1133 Live Chat: https://www.dccourts.gov/services/civil-matters/requesting-over-10k

Landlord and Tenant Branch: 879-4879 Live Chat: https://www.dccourts.gov/services/civil-matters/landlord-tenant
Small Claims Branch: 879-1120 Live Chat: https://www.dccourts.gov/services/civil-matters/requesting-10k-or-less

LANDLORD TENANT BRANCH (Non-payment of Rent/ Evictions) -
202-879-4879 Live Chat: https://www.dccourts.gov/services/civil-matters/landlord-tenant

Assistance for those without an attorney - Landlord/Tenant Branch
The Landlord Tenant Resource Center may be contacted by phone to obtain assistance with submitting an emergency motion for a landlord tenant matter. The temporary phone number is 202-780-2575. A tenant who is not able to file an emergency complaint for a housing issue and persons needing assistance with other court matters can contact Rising for Justice at 202-638.4798

All evictions of tenants and foreclosed homeowners are stayed (postponed) during the public health emergency declared by the Mayor.

A March 18 order provided that:

• "any obligation of any tenant under a protective order to make payments into the court registry is suspended during the period of the emergency. Tenants should make these payments instead directly to landlords, and a landlord’s acceptance of a direct payment will not prejudice the landlord’s ability to prosecute the action. If a landlord seeks sanctions for violation of a protective order after the public health emergency ends, the court will consider, in addition to other relevant circumstances, exigent circumstances relating to the public health emergency, and

SMALL CLAIMS BRANCH -
To talk to a member of the Small Claims Branch staff, call 202-879-1120 Live Chat: https://www.dccourts.gov/services/civil-matters/requesting-10k-or-less

ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY - The Consumer Law Resource Center provides information regarding small claims cases, debt collection, rent deposit recovery, and other consumer matters. You can contact the following number if you have an emergency in a consumer case, such as the attachment of your bank account, and are not able to submit the emergency motion and fee waiver application electronically: a. D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center - Consumer Law Resource Center Temporary Phone Line - 202-780-2574.

All applications for crime victims’ compensation funds will be processed by staff remotely. New applications can be emailed to: CVCPapplications [at] DCSC.gov or completed online and submitted to the office by clicking the submit button at the bottom of the form. The application for crime victims’ compensation can be located on the Courts website at https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/CVCPApplicationMarch2020.pdf. If you are not able to complete an application online, you can contact the office via telephone at 202-879-4216 or email at CVCPOffice [at] dcsc.gov for assistance with new and existing claims.

Judges and the Criminal Division will continue to operate remotely with hearings being conducted via telephone or videoconference from the Central Cellblock, the D.C. Jail, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and the community, except for Courtroom C10.

Six courtrooms will be operational and primarily dedicated to the following functions:

• C-10- arraignments, presentments, bench warrant return, extradition, pretrial and probation show cause hearings.
• 115- emergency bond review motions, fugitive and arrest warrants.
• 317- mental observation and contested competency hearings.
• 210- detained preliminary hearings.
• 213- detained substantive non-evidentiary matters, including dispositions, scheduling and waivers of preliminary hearings, sentencings, etc.
• 111- non-detained substantive non-evidentiary matters, including entry or completion of Deferred Prosecution or Sentencing Agreements, dispositions and sentencings.

Judges will have the ability to individual schedule hearings, not to exceed one day in length, on a case-by-case basis, subject to capacity.

Detained preliminary hearings and other matters may proceed upon the request of defense counsel and agreement of the United States Attorney’s Office or Office of the Attorney General, which agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld.

Attorneys and the defendant will appear via telephone or videoconference, with the consent of the defendant; witnesses and victims will also appear remotely.

Information about how to request a hearing can be found here and here.

• The Criminal Division will not be conducting non-jury or jury trials at the present time.
• The following matters will be continued to a future date pursuant to a set schedule, found here:
  • Citation arraignments
  • All status hearings (except detained status hearings set out of C-10)
  • Trials (both jury and non-jury, detained and non-detained)
  • Non-detained preliminary hearings
  • Probation Show Cause; the filing of an AVR shall toll the expiration of probation
  • Sentencing hearings
• All deadlines and time limits in statutes, court rules, and standing and other orders issued by the court that would otherwise expire by June 19, 2020 are suspended, tolled and extended during the period of the current emergency.
• Further details of the plan can be found here

The Domestic Violence Division Clerk’s Office will be available remotely from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The clerk’s office is available by phone at 202-879-0157 or by email at domesticviolencemanagement [at] dcsc.gov.

All judges and courtroom staff will continue to work remotely. Parties will appear via telephone or videoconference for hearings held in remote courtrooms.

Please see below general information about Domestic Violence Division (DVD) cases. For additional information about a DVD case, you can find the Domestic Violence Division Court Operations plan here.

On April 10, the DVD issued a Standing Order regarding procedures for requesting release from detention, as well as a Scheduling Order on when hearings that previously were scheduled through May 15 will be held. A new Scheduling Order with future dates for hearings set prior to June 19 is available here

Criminal Cases – Domestic Violence Misdemeanor (DVM) and Criminal Contempt (CCC)

• Parties in DVM and CCC cases should continue to file electronically via CaseFileXpress.
• All DVM arraignments will continue to be heard in Courtroom C10. CCC arraignments scheduled before June 19, 2020, will be continued.
• All other hearings, including but not limited to status hearings, diversion matters, show cause hearings, trials, and sentencings, scheduled before June 19 will be continued consistent with a scheduling order issued by the presiding judge.
• Until further order, the DVD will not be conducting non-jury trials.
• Hearings in which a defendant is detained in the DVM or CCC case, including arraignments, emergency bond review motions, status hearings, and probation show cause hearings, will be heard in a remote DVD courtroom at the request of the defendant and with the agreement of the government.

Civil Protection Order (CPO) Cases and Temporary Protection Orders (TPOs)

• Civil filings should be submitted through www.probono.net/dccourts or emailed to domesticviolencemanagement [at] dcsc.gov.
• Requests for Temporary Protection Orders will continue to be heard remotely.
• All existing TPO expiration dates shall be extended to the future date consistent with a scheduling order issued by the presiding judge.
• All existing CPO expiration dates shall be extended to June 19 unless otherwise ordered by the court. All existing CPOs that would have expired prior to June 19, 2020, will expire on that date unless a Motion to Extend is filed prior to June 19, 2020.
• CPO hearings and related-CPO hearings will be continued to a future date consistent with a scheduling order issued by the presiding judge.
• Organizations Providing Free Legal Assistance for Civil Domestic Violence Cases

Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs): Requests for Ex Parte and Final ERPOS are available and can be made by emailing the filing to domesticviolencemanagement [at] dcsc.gov. The petition can be obtained from the DC Courts website here: https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/2019-07/Petition%20for%20Extreme%20Risk%20Protection%20Order%20.pdf

All Family Court matters currently scheduled on or before June 19, 2020, will not be heard unless specifically set by the judge hearing the case. Parties whose cases are set will receive instructions on how to connect to the videoconference of the hearing.

Abuse & Neglect cases - the Court is hearing the following matters remotely: neglect initial hearings, emergency hearings, dispositions, consent hearings, pretrial and status hearings where necessary, stipulated trials, one day trials of any type. Neglect-related adoption petitions may be filed in a special electronic dropbox starting May 18.

Domestic Relations (Custody, divorce, child support) may be initiated online. Click here for information on how to file. All deadlines in orders issued before March 20 are extended by 90 days. Upon notification, the Court will hear cases that the parties represent are uncontested/ settled, as well as same-day emergency hearings. Emergency motions to modify custody or seek contempt and discretionary matters are also being held.

Juvenile Delinquency and PINS Juvenile delinquency initial and probable cause hearings will be held, as well as other emergency, status and disposition hearings, including the HOPE Court program and Juvenile Behavioral Diversion Program. In addition, trials of detained juveniles will be held if the parties agree.

Private adoption hearings will be held when possible.

Mental Habilitation cases - Counsel for respondents shall continue to file updated status reports pursuant to Administrative Order No 00-06.Review and emergency hearings will take place remotely, if all parties can access the hearing.

Mental Health probable cause hearings and the Mental Health Commission hearings will be held remotely.

The Marriage Bureau is processing applications for marriage licenses remotely and performing weddings by videoconference. Those who wish to apply for a marriage license should visit https://www.dccourts.gov/form/marriage-application.

Name changes - Uncontested and emergency requests are being heard.

Parentage & Support - Emergency cases and those that can be resolved based on filings are going forward. DNA testing is currently unavailable.

The Family Court will continue to process documents submitted via eFiling. Emergency matters will be forwarded to the judge for review and all hearings will be conducted remotely. Attorneys and self-represented litigants can file documents electronically using Case File Express at https://dc.casefilexpress.com/Login.aspx. Self-Represented litigants needing to file an emergency matter should contact the Self-Help Center at 202-879-0096.

Please call (202) 879-1212 with any questions.

The Self-Help Center (SHC) is operating remotely- those who would like the SHC's assistance should call 202/879-0096.

Mediation is available for parties able to participate remotely (via videoconference or by phone). Call 202-879-3180 or 202-879-9450 for more information.

The Supervised Visitation Center is conducting intake interviews and supervised visits remotely.

Click to see information about the Probate Division operations.

The Probate Division will continue to process documents submitted via eFiling. Emergency matters (21-day and provisional guardianship) will be forwarded to the judge for review and all hearings will be conducted remotely. Judges will also issue rulings for non-emergency matters, if no hearing is required.

**As of May 18, the court will be hearing intervention cases (21-day and 90-day temporary guardians and cases seeking appointment of a permanent guardian and/or conservator) remotely.

Attorneys and self-represented litigants can file documents electronically using Case File Express at https://dc.casefilexpress.com/Login.aspx.

Documents for non-emergency matters can also be mailed to the D.C. Superior Court Probate Division, 515 5th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001. Attention: Probate Clerk’s Office.

Please see the Probate Division’s webpage at https://www.dccourts.gov/services/probatematters for specific instructions on how to file a Petition for an emergency matter. You can contact the Probate Division by calling: 202-879-9460 or 202-879-9461, emailing Probateinquiries [at] dcsc.gov or clicking on Live Chat on the probate page or going to https://www.dccourts.gov/services/probate-matters

Please send Guardianship questions to: GuardianshipAssistanceProgram [at] dcsc.gov (.)
If you need prepayment of costs to be waived, please complete a Fee Waiver Application located on the DC Courts' website at https://www.dccourts.gov/services/judge-in-chambers/in-forma-pauperisfee-waiver

All hearings and orders regarding document production are postponed/continued. Documents for matters before the Auditor Master Office can be emailed to Auditor.Master [at] dcsc.gov. For questions regarding your case, please contact 202-626-3280. For specific information regarding hearings and production of documents for the Auditor Masters Office, please read this notice and see the May 14 order.

Attorneys and self-represented litigants can file documents electronically using Case File Express at https://dc.casefilexpress.com/Login.aspx.

Self-Represented litigants can also email their pleadings or an image of their pleadings to TaxDocket [at] dcsc.gov and mail a check or money order for their filing fee to D.C. Superior Court, Tax Division, 500 Indiana Ave., NW, Suite 4100, Washington, DC 20001.

For questions, please contact the Tax Division at 202-879-1737 or by email at TaxDocket [at] dcsc.gov.