Title 13 — Procedure Generally. [Enacted title]

Repealed Repealed.

Except as otherwise specifically provided by law or rules of court, this chapter applies to the District of Columbia courts.

Subject to the provisions of law or rules of court for service by other persons, the United States marshal for the District of Columbia or his deputy shall serve the process of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

(a) The Metropolitan Police Department shall execute, upon request, a bench warrant in any case in which paternity establishment or child support is at issue. (b) The Metropolitan Police Department shall serve civil process in any case in which paternity establishment or child su…

Repealed Repealed.

This chapter does not limit or affect the right to serve process in any other manner now or hereafter required or permitted by: (1) other law, including Chapter 4 of this title or, any other provisions of this Code; or (2) rule of court.

(a) When an infant is a party defendant in an action, the summons and complaint shall be served upon him personally and, when he is under 16 years of age, upon the person with whom he resides, if within the District. The infant shall be produced in court unless, for cause shown, …

When a person non compos mentis is a party defendant in an action, process shall be served upon him personally, if within the District, and upon his committee, if there is one within the District.

(a) In an action against a foreign corporation doing business in the District, process may be served on the agent of the corporation or person conducting its business, or, when he is absent and can not be found, by leaving a copy at the principal place of business in the District…

In an action specified by section 13-336 , when process can not be served upon a domestic or foreign corporation, the corporation may be proceeded against as a nonresident defendant, by notice by publication.

(a) In actions specified by subsection (b) of this section, publication may be substituted for personal service of process upon a defendant who can not be found and who is shown by affidavit to be a nonresident, or to have been absent from the District for at least six months, or…

(a) In actions specified by section 13-336, personal service of process may be made on a nonresident defendant out of the District, and the service has the same effect, and no other, as an order of publication duly executed. (b) The service may be made by any person not a party t…

An order for the substitution of publication for personal service may not be made until: (1) a summons for the defendant has been issued and returned “Not to be found,” and (2) the nonresidence of the defendant or his absence for at least six months is proved by affidavit to the …

An order of publication shall be in the following or an equivalent form: United States District Court for the District of Columbia. AB, plaintiff, versus In ____. No. ____ CD, defendant. The object of this action is to (state it briefly). On motion of the plaintiff, it is this __…

(a) An order of publication shall be published at least once a week for three successive weeks, or oftener, or for such further time as the court orders. In actions for divorce in which service by publication is authorized under this chapter, and satisfactory evidence is presente…

(a) When a person would be a proper party to a judicial proceeding if living, and upon allegation under oath and proof satisfactory to the court that it is unknown whether he is living or dead, he may be proceeded against as if he were living, and with like effect, if a represent…

Except in cases of irreconcilable conflict, this chapter shall be construed to augment, and not to repeal, any other law of the District of Columbia authorizing another basis of jurisdiction or permitting another procedure for service in civil proceedings in the District of Colum…

When the statutory language so permits, this chapter shall be so interpreted and construed as to make it uniform with the laws of those jurisdictions which enact in comparable form the first two articles of the Uniform Interstate and International Procedure Act.

As used in this subchapter, the term “person” includes an individual, his executor, administrator, or other personal representative, or a corporation, partnership, association, or any other legal or commercial entity, whether or not a citizen or domiciliary of the District of Col…

A District of Columbia court may exercise personal jurisdiction over a person domiciled in, organized under the laws of, or maintaining his or its principal place of business in, the District of Columbia as to any claim for relief.

(a) A District of Columbia court may exercise personal jurisdiction over a person, who acts directly or by an agent, as to a claim for relief arising from the person’s — (1) transacting any business in the District of Columbia; (2) contracting to supply services in the District o…

When the exercise of personal jurisdiction is authorized by this subchapter, service may be made outside the District of Columbia.

When any District of Columbia court finds that in the interest of substantial justice the action should be heard in another forum, the court may stay or dismiss such civil action in whole or in part on any conditions that may be just.

(a) When the law of the District of Columbia authorizes service outside the District of Columbia, the service, when reasonably calculated to give actual notice, may be made — (1) by personal delivery in the manner prescribed for service within the District of Columbia; (2) in the…

Service outside the District of Columbia may be made by an individual who is permitted to make service of process under the law of the District of Columbia or under the law of the place in which the service is made or who is designated by a District of Columbia court.

When the law of the District of Columbia requires that in order to effect service one or more designated individuals be served, service outside the District of Columbia under this article must be made upon such designated individual or individuals.

(a) A District of Columbia court may order service upon any person who is domiciled or can be found within the District of Columbia of any document issued in connection with a proceeding in a tribunal outside the District of Columbia. The order may be made upon application of any…

This chapter may be cited as the “Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act”.

For the purposes of this chapter, the term: (1) “Foreign jurisdiction” means a state other than the District of Columbia. (2) “Foreign subpoena” means a subpoena issued under authority of a court of record of a foreign jurisdiction. (3) “Person” means an individual, corporation, …

(a) To request issuance of a subpoena under this section, a party shall submit a foreign subpoena to the Clerk of the Superior Court. A request for the issuance of a subpoena under this chapter does not constitute an appearance in the courts of the District of Columbia. (b) When …

A subpoena issued by a Clerk of Superior Court under § 13-443 shall be served in compliance with § 11-942 and applicable rules of the Superior Court for the service of subpoenas.

The rules of the Superior Court applicable to compliance with subpoenas to attend and give testimony, produce designated books, documents, records, electronically stored information, or tangible things, or permit inspection of premises apply to subpoenas issued under § 13-443.

An application to the Superior Court for a protective order or to enforce, quash, or modify a subpoena issued by a clerk of court under § 13-443 shall comply with the Rules of the Superior Court and laws of the District and shall be submitted to the Superior Court.

In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration shall be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it[.]

This chapter applies to requests for discovery in cases pending on May 22, 2010.

In a civil action, a defendant who files a counterclaim by way of set-off shall be deemed to have brought an action at the time of filing the counterclaim for the matters mentioned therein.

When cross-demands have existed between persons under such circumstances that if one had brought an action against the other a counterclaim could have been pleaded, neither can be deprived of the benefit thereof by an assignment by the other; but in an action by the assignee of a…

In an action against principal and sureties, an indebtedness of the plaintiff to the principal may be set off by counterclaim as if he were the sole defendant. When the indebtedness so set off exceeds the plaintiff’s demand, the judgment for the excess shall be in favor of the de…

When the plaintiff in a civil action is trustee for another, or has no actual interest in the contract on which the action is founded, a demand against the plaintiff may not be pleaded by way of counterclaim, but a demand against the person whom he represents or for whose benefit…

In an action against an executor or administrator, in his representative capacity, the defendant may plead, by way of counterclaim, a demand belonging to the decedent where he would have been entitled to rely upon the demand in an action against him; and in an action brought by a…

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