Title 11 — Organization and Jurisdiction of the Courts. [Enacted title]
15 chapters · 168 sections in this title.
D.C. Code § 11-101 Judicial power
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The judicial power in the District of Columbia is vested in the following courts: (1) The following Federal Courts established pursuant to article III of the Constitution: (A) The Supreme Court of the United States. (B) The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Colum…
D.C. Code § 11-102 Status of District of Columbia Court of Appeals
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The highest court of the District of Columbia is the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Final judgments and decrees of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals are reviewable by the Supreme Court of the United States in accordance with section 1257 of title 28, United States…
D.C. Code § 11-301 Jurisdiction of appeals from the District of Columbia Court of Appeals
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In addition to its jurisdiction as a United States court of appeals and any other jurisdiction conferred on it by law, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has jurisdiction of appeals from judgments of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals —…
D.C. Code § 11-501 Civil jurisdiction
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In addition to its jurisdiction as a United States district court and any other jurisdiction conferred on it by law, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia has jurisdiction of the following: (1) Any civil action or other matter begun in the court before the…
D.C. Code § 11-502 Criminal jurisdiction
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In addition to its jurisdiction as a United States district court and any other jurisdiction conferred on it by law, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia has jurisdiction of the following: (1) Any criminal case begun in the court by the return of an indic…
D.C. Code § 11-503 Removal of cases from the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
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A civil action or criminal prosecution in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia is removable to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with chapter 89 of title 28, United States Code.
D.C. Code § 11-521 Appointment of Auditor
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For so long as the business of the court may require, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia may appoint an Auditor for the court.
D.C. Code § 11-701 Continuation of court; court of record; seal
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(a) The District of Columbia Court of Appeals (hereafter in this subchapter referred to as the “court”) shall continue as a court of record in the District of Columbia. (b) The court shall have a seal.
D.C. Code § 11-702 Composition
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The court shall consist of a chief judge and eight associate judges.
D.C. Code § 11-703 Judges; service; compensation
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(a) The chief judge and the judges of the court shall serve in accordance with Chapter 15 of this title. (b) Judges of the court shall be compensated at the rate prescribed by law for judges of the United States courts of appeals. The chief judge, while serving in that position, …
D.C. Code § 11-704 Oath of judges
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Each judge, when appointed, shall take the oath prescribed for judges of courts of the United States.
D.C. Code § 11-705 Assignment of judges; divisions; hearings
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(a) Judges of the court shall sit on the court and its divisions in such order and at such times as the court directs. (b) Cases and controversies shall be heard and determined by divisions of the court unless a hearing or a rehearing before the court in banc is ordered. Each div…
D.C. Code § 11-706 Absence, disability, or disqualification of judges; vacancies; quorum
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(a) When the chief judge of the court is absent or disabled, the chief judge’s duties shall devolve upon and be performed by such associate judge as the chief judge may designate in writing. In the event that the chief judge is (1) disqualified or suspended, or (2) unable or fail…
D.C. Code § 11-707 Assignment of judges to and from Superior Court
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(a) The chief judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals may designate and assign temporarily one or more judges of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to serve on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals or a division thereof whenever the business of the Dist…
D.C. Code § 11-708 Clerks and secretaries for judges
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Each judge may appoint and remove a personal secretary. The chief judge may appoint and remove three personal law clerks, and each associate judge may appoint and remove two personal law clerks. In addition, the chief judge may appoint and remove not more than three law clerks fo…
D.C. Code § 11-709 Reports
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Each judge shall submit to the chief judge such reports and data as the chief judge may request. Each judge shall submit a monthly written report to the chief judge and the Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure which shall be in a form prescribed by the chief judge after…
D.C. Code § 11-710 Emergency authority to conduct proceedings outside District of Columbia
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The court may hold special sessions at any place within the United States outside the District of Columbia as the nature of the business may require and upon such notice as the court orders, upon a finding by either the chief judge of the court (or, if the chief judge is absent o…
D.C. Code § 11-721 Orders and judgments of the Superior Court
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(a) The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has jurisdiction of appeals from — (1) all final orders and judgments of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; (2) interlocutory orders of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia — (A) granting, continuing, modifying,…
D.C. Code § 11-722 Administrative orders and decisions
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The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has jurisdiction (1) except as provided in clause (2), to review orders and decisions of the Commissioner [Mayor] of the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Council, any agency of the District of Columbia (including the Board o…
D.C. Code § 11-723 Certification of questions of law
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(a) The District of Columbia Court of Appeals may answer questions of law certified to it by the Supreme Court of the United States, a Court of Appeals of the United States, or the highest appellate court of any State, if there are involved in any proceeding before any such certi…
D.C. Code § 11-741 Contempt powers
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(a) Subject to the limitation described in subsection (b), and in addition to the powers conferred by section 402 of title 18, United States Code, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, or a judge thereof, may punish for disobedience of an order or for contempt committed in t…
D.C. Code § 11-742 Oaths, affirmations, and acknowledgments
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Each judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and each employee of the court authorized by the chief judge may administer oaths and affirmations and take acknowledgments.
D.C. Code § 11-743 Rules of court
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The District of Columbia Court of Appeals shall conduct its business according to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure unless the court prescribes or adopts modifications of those Rules.
D.C. Code § 11-744 Judicial conference
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The chief judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals shall summon biennially or annually the active associate judges of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and the active judges and magistrate judges of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a conference …
D.C. Code § 11-745 Emergency authority to toll or delay proceedings
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In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency situation requiring the closure of the Court of Appeals or rendering it impracticable for the United States or District of Columbia Government or a class of litigants to comply with deadlines imposed by any Federal or District…
D.C. Code § 11-901 Continuation of courts; court of record; seal
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The District of Columbia Court of General Sessions, the Juvenile Court of the District of Columbia, and the District of Columbia Tax Court are consolidated in a single court to be known as the Superior Court of the District of Columbia (hereafter in this title referred to as the …
D.C. Code § 11-902 Organization of the court
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The Superior Court shall consist of the following: (1) The Civil Division. (2) The Criminal Division. (3) The Family Court. (4) The Probate Division. (5) The Tax Division. The divisions of the Superior Court may be divided into such branches as the Superior Court may by rule pres…
D.C. Code § 11-903 Composition
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The Superior Court of the District of Columbia shall consist of a chief judge and 61 associate judges.
D.C. Code § 11-904 Judges; service; compensation
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(a) The chief judge and the judges of the Superior Court shall serve as provided in Chapter 15 of this title. (b) Judges of the Superior Court shall be compensated at the rate prescribed by law for judges of United States district courts. The chief judge, while serving in that po…
D.C. Code § 11-905 Oath of judges
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Each judge of the Superior Court, when appointed shall take the oath prescribed for judges of courts of the United States.
D.C. Code § 11-906 Administration by chief judge; discharge of duties
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(a) The chief judge shall administer and superintend the business of the Superior Court, as provided in Chapter 17 of this title. The chief judge shall attend to the discharge of the duties pertaining to the office of chief judge and perform such additional judicial work as the c…
D.C. Code § 11-907 Absence, disability, or disqualification of chief judge
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(a) When the chief judge of the court is absent or disabled, the chief judge’s duties shall devolve upon and be performed by such associate judge as the chief judge may designate in writing. In the event that the chief judge is (1) disqualified or suspended, or (2) unable or fail…
D.C. Code § 11-908 Designation and assignment of judges
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(a) Subject to subsection 11-908A, the chief judge may designate the number of judges to serve in any division and branch of the Superior Court and may assign and reassign any judge to sit in any division or branch. When making assignments to the Family Division and Tax Division,…
D.C. Code § 11-908A Special rules regarding assignment and service of judges of Family Court
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The number of judges serving on the Family Court of the Superior Court shall be not more than 15. If the chief judge determines that, in order to carry out the intent and purposes of the District of Columbia Family Court Act of 2001, an emergency exists such that the number of ju…
D.C. Code § 11-909 Meetings and reports
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(a) The judges of the Superior Court shall meet upon the call of the chief judge, but not less than once each month, to consider matters relating to the business and operations of the court. The court may by rule require additional meetings. (b) Each associate judge shall submit …
D.C. Code § 11-910 Clerks and secretaries for judges
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Each judge of the Superior Court may appoint and remove a personal law clerk and a personal secretary.
D.C. Code § 11-911 Emergency authority to conduct proceedings outside District of Columbia
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The Superior Court may hold special sessions at any place within the United States outside the District of Columbia as the nature of the business may require and upon such notice as the Superior Court orders, upon a finding by either the chief judge of the Superior Court (or, if …
D.C. Code § 11-921 Civil jurisdiction
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(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Superior Court has jurisdiction of any civil action or other matter (at law or in equity) brought in the District of Columbia. Such jurisdiction shall vest in the court as follows: (1) Beginning on the effective date of the District o…
D.C. Code § 11-922 Transfer of civil actions to Superior Court
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(a) In a civil action begun in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia before the effective date of the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 1970 (other than an action for equitable relief), where it appears to the satisfaction of the court at or…
D.C. Code § 11-923 Criminal jurisdiction; commitment
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(a) The Superior Court has jurisdiction over all criminal cases pending in the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions before the effective date of the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 1970. (b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Superior Court has…
D.C. Code § 11-924 Jurisdiction with respect to violations of the Rules and Regulations of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
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The Superior Court has jurisdiction with respect to any violation, committed in the District of Columbia, of the rules and regulations adopted by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority under section 76(e) of title III of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regula…
D.C. Code § 11-925 Rules regarding certain pending child custody cases
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(a) In any pending case involving custody over a minor child or the visitation rights of a parent of a minor child in the Superior Court which is described in subsection (b) [of this section]— (1) at anytime after the child attains 13 years of age, the party to the case who is de…
D.C. Code § 11-941 Issuance of warrants; record
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Subject to Title 23, judges of the Superior Court may, at any time, including Sundays and legal holidays, on complaint or application under oath or actual view, issue warrants for arrest, search or seizure, or electronic surveillance in connection with crimes and offenses committ…
D.C. Code § 11-942 Subpenas
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Subpoenas (a) The Superior Court may compel the attendance of witnesses by attachment. At the request of any party, subpenas [subpoenas] for attendance at a hearing or trial in the Superior Court shall be issued by the clerk of court. A subpena [subpoena] may be served at any pla…
D.C. Code § 11-943 Process
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(a) All process other than a subpena [subpoena] may be served at any place within the District of Columbia, and, when authorized by statute or by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, at any place without the District of Columbia. (b) Service upon a third-party defendant, upon a …
D.C. Code § 11-944 Contempt power
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(a) Subject to the limitation described in subsection (b), and in addition to the powers conferred by section 402 of title 18, United States Code, the Superior Court, or a judge thereof, may punish for disobedience of an order or for contempt committed in the presence of the cour…
D.C. Code § 11-945 Oaths, affirmations, and acknowledgments
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Each judge and each employee of the Superior Court authorized by the chief judge may administer oaths and affirmations and take acknowledgments.
D.C. Code § 11-946 Rules of court
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The Superior Court shall conduct its business according to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (except as otherwise provided in Title 23) unless it prescribes or adopts rules which modify those Rules. Rules which modify the Federal Rul…
D.C. Code § 11-947 Emergency authority to toll or delay proceedings
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In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency situation requiring the closure of Superior Court or rendering it impracticable for the United States or District of Columbia Government or a class of litigants to comply with deadlines imposed by any Federal or District of Co…
D.C. Code § 11-1101 Jurisdiction of the Family Court
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The Family Court of the District of Columbia shall be assigned and have original jurisdiction over — (1) actions for divorce from the bond of marriage and legal separation from bed and board, including proceedings incidental thereto for alimony, pendente lite and permanent, and f…