DC Court of Appeals Opinions and MOJs

Opinions

The court publishes opinions in cases that provide both the litigants and the trial court with guidance, create new law, or interpret statutes or concepts. These decisions are published in print and on the DCCA website. They are binding precedent, which means they can be cited as supporting authority in other cases.

MOJs

The court issues a Memorandum Opinion and Judgment (MOJ) in cases where the decision does not create new law, decide an issue of continuing public interest, or interpret a statute or concept that has yet to be reviewed. The decisions are issued by the panel (per curiam), not under the name of an individual judge. They are not published, and except as permitted by Appellate Rule 28(g), they may not be cited as supporting authority in other cases. For that reason, the court only lists online the names and case numbers of MOJs that have been issued. If a party or other interested person believes that a specific MOJ should be published, the party or interested person may file a motion to publish no later than 30 days after the MOJ issues.