Title 16, Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]

Where possession has not been awarded pursuant to a declaration of taking, and the adjudged compensation has been paid into the registry as directed by the judgment of the court and a certified copy of the judgment, with a certificate of the clerk of the court showing the payment…

Where the mode or manner of conducting a proceeding pursuant to this subchapter is not expressly provided for by law or rules of court in force under authority of law, the court may make all necessary orders and give all necessary directions to carry into effect the object and in…

In order to promote the orderly and proper development of the seat of government of the United States, agencies of the United States authorized by law to acquire real property, may acquire, in the public interest, by gift, dedication, exchange, purchase, or condemnation fee simpl…

When the authorities of the United States having jurisdiction of real property (or rights or easements) acquired pursuant to this subchapter, elect to retain any of them for the use of the United States, they may use the property (or rights or easements) for park, playground, hig…

When real property is purchased pursuant to this subchapter in excess of that needed for a particular project or improvement, appropriations available for the payment of the purchase price, costs, and expenses incident to the project or improvement may be used in the payment of t…

(a) When excess real property is condemned by agencies of the United States as provided by this subchapter, the condemnation proceedings for the acquisition of the property shall be in accordance with subchapter IV of this chapter, or any laws in effect at the time of the commenc…

This subchapter does not repeal any provisions of existing law pertaining to the condemnation or acquisition of streets, alleys, or land, or the laws relating to the subdividing of lands in the District of Columbia.

When a person detains possession of real property without right, or after his right to possession has ceased, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, on complaint under oath verified by the person aggrieved by the detention, or by his agent or attorney having knowledge of…

The summons provided for by section 16-1501 shall be served seven days, exclusive of Sundays and legal holidays, before the day fixed for the trial of the action. If the defendant has left the District of Columbia, or cannot be found, the summons may be served by delivering a cop…

When, upon a trial in a proceeding pursuant to this chapter, it appears that the plaintiff is entitled to the possession of the premises, judgment and execution for the possession shall be awarded in his favor, with costs; and if the plaintiff becomes nonsuit or fails to prove hi…

A judgment of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in a proceeding pursuant to this chapter is not a bar to any afteraction brought by either party, and does not conclude any question of title between them, where title is not pleaded by the defendants.

(a) A thing in action, judgment, mortgage, or other security or conveyance made and executed by a person in which any part of the consideration is for money or other valuable things won by playing at any game whatsoever, or by betting on the sides or hands of persons who play, or…

A person who, at any time or sitting, by playing at cards, dice or any other game, or by betting on the sides or hands of persons who play, loses to a person so playing or betting, a sum of money, or other valuable thing, amounting to $25 or more, and pays or delivers the money o…

Upon the discovery and repayment of the money or other thing to be discovered and repaid as provided by section 16-1702 , the person who so discovers and repays shall be acquitted, indemnified, and discharged from any further or other punishment, forfeiture, or penalty, that he m…

Whoever, at any one time or sitting, by fraud or false pretense, while playing any game, or while having a share in a wager played for, or while betting on the sides or hands of persons who play, wins, or acquires to himself or to any other person, above the sum or value of $25, …

(a) A person committed, detained, confined, or restrained from his lawful liberty within the District, under any color or pretense whatever, or a person in his behalf, may apply by petition to the appropriate court, or a judge thereof, for a writ of habeas corpus, to the end that…

A writ of habeas corpus issued pursuant to this chapter shall be served by delivering it to the officer or other person to whom it is directed, or by leaving it at the prison or place at which the party suing it out is detained. The officer or other person shall forthwith, or wit…

On an application for a writ of habeas corpus, if probable cause is shown for believing that the person charged with confining or detaining the person applying therefor, or on whose behalf the application is made: (1) is about to remove the person so detained from the place where…

If an officer or other person to whom a writ of habeas corpus is directed neglects or refuses to: (1) make return of the writ; or (2) bring the body of the person detained — according to the command of the writ, he shall forfeit to the person detained the sum of $500, and be liab…

A person committed or detained, or a person in his behalf, may demand a true copy of the warrant of commitment or detainer. An officer or other person detaining a person, who refuses or neglects to deliver to him or to a person in his behalf a true copy of the warrant of commitme…

On the return of a writ of habeas corpus issued pursuant to this chapter and the production of the person detained, the court or judge shall immediately inquire into the legality and propriety of the confinement or detention. If it appears that the person is detained without lega…

A person at whose instance or in whose behalf a writ of habeas corpus has been issued may traverse the return thereto, or plead any matters showing that there is not a sufficient legal cause for his confinement or detention. The court or judge may issue process for witnesses or f…

A person entitled to the custody of another person, unlawfully confined or detained by a third person, as a parent, guardian, committee, spouse, or domestic partner, entitled to the custody of a minor child, ward, spouse, or domestic partner, upon application to the court or a ju…

This chapter does not affect any provision of chapter 153 of Title 28, United States Code.

For the purposes of action thereon, a contract or obligation entered into by two or more persons, whether: (1) the persons are partners or joint contractors; (2) the contract is under seal or not; (3) it is written or verbal; or (4) it is expressed to be joint and several or not …

If a person specified by section 16-2101 dies, his executors, administrators, or heirs are bound by the contract in the same manner and to the same extent as if the contract or obligation were expressed to be joint and several.

Where, with respect to a contract specified by section 16-2101 , an action is brought against: (1) all the parties thereto, but service of process is had on some, only, of the defendants; or (2) some, only, of the parties thereto, and service of process is had on them only — a ju…

When one of several defendants in an action dies after the commencement of the action, his legal representatives may be made parties to the action as directed by Chapter 1 of Title 12.

In actions ex contractu against alleged joint debtors it is not necessary for the plaintiff to prove their joint liability as alleged in order to maintain his action. He is entitled to recover, as in actions ex delicto, against such of the defendants as are shown by the evidence …

Any one of several joint debtors when their debt is overdue, may make a separate composition or compromise with their creditors, with the same effect as is provided in the case of parties by Chapter 3 of Title 41 [now chapter 3 of Title 33].

As used in this subchapter — (1) The term “Division” means the Family Division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Pursuant to section 16-2301.01, the term “Division” shall be deemed to refer to the Family Court of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. (1…

Any reference in this chapter or any other Federal or District of Columbia law, Executive order, rule, regulation, delegation of authority, or any document of or pertaining to the Family Division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia shall be deemed to refer to the Fa…

The purpose of this subchapter is to create a juvenile justice system capable of dealing with the problem of juvenile delinquency, a system that will treat children as children in all phases of their involvement, while protecting the needs of communities and victims alike. In fur…

(a) If it appears to a court, during the pendency of a criminal charge and before the time when jeopardy would attach in the case of an adult, that a minor defendant was a child at the time of an alleged offense, the court shall forthwith transfer the charge against the defendant…

For purposes of this subchapter, jurisdiction obtained by the Division in the case of a child shall be retained by it until the child becomes twenty-one years of age, unless jurisdiction is terminated before that time. This section does not affect the jurisdiction of other divisi…

(a) A child alleged to be delinquent or in need of supervision is entitled to be represented by counsel at all critical stages of Division proceedings, including the time of admission or denial of allegations in the petition and all subsequent stages. If the child and his parent,…

(a) Complaints alleging delinquency or need of supervision shall be referred to the Director of Social Services, and complaints alleging neglect shall be referred to the Director of the Child and Family Services Agency, each of whom shall conduct a preliminary inquiry to determin…

The Council finds that: (1) Juveniles who are not under proper supervision and control or who are arrested for certain nonviolent offenses are likely to endanger their own health, morals, and welfare and the health, morals, and welfare of others. (2) It shall be the policy of the…

(a) For the purposes of this section, the term: (1) “Adjustment process” means the process by which the Social Services Division and the Office of the Corporation Counsel may proceed where a determination is made that the filing of a delinquency or persons in need of supervision …

(a) When a petition is filed, the Division shall set a time for initial appearance and shall direct the issuance of summonses. If delinquency or need of supervision is alleged, a summons, together with a copy of the petition, shall be served upon the child and upon his spouse (if…

(a) Within twenty-one days (excluding Sundays and legal holidays) of the filing of a delinquency petition, or later for good cause shown, and prior to a factfinding hearing on the petition, the Corporation Counsel may file a motion, supported by a statement of facts, requesting t…

The initial appearance, before a judge assigned to the Division, of a child named in a delinquency or need of supervision petition or of the parent, guardian, or custodian of a child named in a neglect petition shall be at the time set forth in the summons, which shall be not lat…

(a) A child may be taken into custody — (1) pursuant to order of the Division under section 16-2306 or 16-2311; (2) by a law enforcement officer when he has reasonable grounds to believe that the child has committed a delinquent act; (3) by any employee of the Agency authorized t…

(a) A child shall not be placed in detention prior to a factfinding hearing or a dispositional hearing unless he is alleged to be delinquent or in need of supervision and unless it appears from available information that detention is required — (1) to protect the person or proper…

The Director of the Department of Human Services and the Director of Social Services shall ensure that each child at risk who is detained, however briefly, pursuant to section 16-2311(a)(2) or (b)(1) shall be physically separated at all times, except during transportation, from c…

Family Court (a) A person taking a child into custody shall with all reasonable speed — (1) release the child to his parent, guardian, or custodian upon a promise to bring the child before the Division when requested by the Division, unless the child’s placement in detention or s…