A party can call the Small Claims Clerk’s Office at (202) 879-1120 to request a continuance of the initial hearing. A continuance, if granted, will delay the initial hearing until a future date. You must first call the other party and try to agree to change the date. If both parties agree on a new date, a praecipe (an official form used to request the clerk or court to perform an act) to continue the case must be filed in the Small Claims Clerk’s Office. The praecipe must request that the clerk continue the initial hearing to a specific date within 21 to 30 days and note that all parties have agreed to change the date of the hearing. The praecipe must be signed by all pro se parties and at least one lawyer, if a party has a lawyer. The parties can agree to continue the case only one time. You can get a praecipe form in the Small Claims Clerk’s Office or on the internet at https://www.dccourts.gov/services/forms. The clerk will mail a notice with the new hearing date to all parties.