Title 15 — Judgments and Executions; Fees and Costs. [Enacted title]

(a) Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, every final judgment or final decree for the payment of money rendered in the — (1) United States District Court for the District of Columbia; or (2) Superior Court of the District of Columbia, when filed and recorded in t…

(a) Each — (1) final judgment or decree for the payment of money rendered in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, or the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, from the date such judgment or decree is filed and recorded in the office of the Recorder…

An order of revival issued upon a judgment or decree during the period of twelve years from the rendition or from the date of an order reviving the judgment or decree, extends the effect and operation of the judgment or decree with the lien thereby created and all the remedies fo…

The lien of a mortgage or deed of trust upon real property, given by the purchaser to secure the payment of the whole or any part of the purchase-money, is superior to that of a previous judgment or decree against the purchaser.

A decree confirming the sale of real or personal property sold pursuant to a decree, divests the right, title, or interest sold out of the former owner, party to the action, and vests it in the purchaser, without any conveyance by the officer or agent of the court conducting the …

(a) In a civil action on a bond or on a penal sum for the nonperformance of covenants or agreements contained in an indenture, deed, or writing, the plaintiff may assign as many breaches as he chooses. Damages shall be assessed for such breaches as he proves and judgment rendered…

Where reciprocal claims between different parties have passed into judgments the court, on motion, may order that the judgments be set off against each other and satisfaction of both be entered to the amount of the smaller claim.

In an action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to recover a liquidated debt on which interest is payable by contract or by law or usage the judgment for the plaintiff shall include interest on the pr…

In an action to recover damages for breach of contract the judgment shall allow interest on the amount for which it is rendered from the date of the judgment only. This section does not preclude the jury, or the court, if the trial be by the court, from including interest as an e…

In an action on a contract for the payment of a higher rate of interest than is lawful in the District, made or to be performed in a State or territory of the United States where such a contract rate of interest is lawful, the judgment for the plaintiff shall include the contract…

In a proceeding in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to recover damages upon a bond or undertaking given to obtain a restraining order or preliminary or pendente lite injunction, the Court, in assessing…

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As used in sections 15-302 , 15-303 , 15-305 to 15-307 , 15-309 , 15-317 , and 15-318 , “judgment” includes an unconditional decree for the payment of money, and sections 15-302 to 15-318 are applicable to such a decree.

(a) A writ of execution on a judgment in a civil action may be issued within three years after: (1) the expiration of any stay of execution agreed to by the parties; or (2) it first might have been issued under applicable provisions of law or rules of court. (b) A writ of executi…

If a writ of execution is issued and returned unsatisfied, in whole or in part, within the period of three years provided by section 15-302 , an alias writ may be issued during the life of the judgment.

If the return of a writ of execution is not made on or before the return day expressed in the writ it may nevertheless be made afterwards as of that date.

A writ of execution not issued within the time allowed therefor, may not be issued until the judgment has been revived. The same rule applies to the order of revival in relation to the issuance of a writ of execution as to the original judgment.

During the life of the original judgment the plaintiff, instead of issuing execution thereon within the time allowed therefor, may elect to obtain a new judgment by motion and hearing as provided by rules of court.

A writ of fieri facias issued upon a judgment of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or the Superior Court of the District of Columbia is a lien from the time of its delivery to the marshal upon all the goods and chattels of the judgment defendant, excep…

Upon the receipt of any writ of fieri facias or other writ of execution, the marshal or his deputy shall, without fee, endorse upon the back of the writ the day of the month and year when he received it.

The death of the judgment debtor after the execution issued on the judgment has been delivered to the marshal does not affect his authority to proceed against the property bound by it.

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The writ of fieri facias may be levied on all goods and chattels of the debtor not exempt from execution, and upon money, bills, checks, promissory notes, or bonds, or certificates of stock in corporations owned by the debtor, and upon his money in the hands of the marshal or his…

When the fieri facias is levied on money belonging to the judgment debtor the marshal may not expose the money to sale, but shall account for it as money collected. Bills or other evidences of debt levied upon shall be sold as other personal property is sold, and the marshal may …

The interest of the debtor in personal chattels lawfully pledged for the payment of a debt or performance of a contract, or held by a trustee, and in which the debtor’s interest is only equitable, may be levied upon in the hands of the pledgee or trustee without disturbing the po…

Where not herein otherwise provided, all property levied upon, except money, shall be appraised by two sworn appraisers and sold at public auction for cash. Personal property may be sold after ten days’ notice by advertisement, containing a description sufficiently definite to be…

When the marshal dies, or is removed from office, or becomes otherwise disqualified from executing a writ of execution received by him, the writ may be executed and returned by his deputy or successor in office.

When, upon the sale of property under execution, the title of the purchaser is invalid by reason of a defect in the proceedings, the purchaser may be subrogated to the rights of the creditor against the debtor to the extent of the money paid by him and applied to the debtor’s ben…

When the marshal or any other officer to whom execution has been delivered levies upon and sells in good faith property not subject thereto and applies the proceeds thereof toward the satisfaction of the judgment, and a recovery is had against him for its value, the officer, on p…

When real property is sold by virtue of an execution, and the judgment debtor or a person claiming under him since the rendition of the judgment is in actual possession of the property and refuses to deliver possession thereof to the purchaser upon demand made therefor, the court…

When a party to an action dies after final decree, the court may order execution of the decree as if death had not occurred, or the court, after motion and hearing, may order the decree revived against the proper representatives of the deceased party, or make such other order or …

(a) For the purpose of executing a decree, or compelling obedience to it, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, in addition to the other procedures provided for by this chapter and Chapter 5 of Title 16, m…

An interlocutory order may be enforced by such process as might be had upon a final judgment or decree to the like effect, and the payment of costs adjudged to a party may be enforced in like manner.

In addition to the procedures for enforcement of judgments or decrees otherwise provided for, an order or decree for the delivery of chattels may be enforced by the same writs as are used in the action of replevin at common law.

Real property or rent shall not be seized for a debt, as long as the present goods and chattels of the debtor are sufficient to pay it, and the debtor himself is ready to satisfy the debt.

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “District” means the District of Columbia. (2) “Foreign judgment” means any judgment, decree, or order of a court of the United States or of any other court that is entitled to full faith and credit in the District. (3) “Superior…

A copy of any foreign judgment authenticated in accordance with the laws of the District may be filed in the Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court (“Clerk”). A foreign judgment filed with the Clerk shall have the same effect and be subject to the same procedures, defenses, or…

(a) At the time of the filing of the foreign judgment, the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor’s lawyer shall make and file with the Clerk an affidavit that sets forth the names and last known addresses of the judgment debtor and the judgment creditor. (b) Promptly upon th…

(a) Upon proof that the judgment debtor has furnished the security for the satisfaction of the judgment required by the state in which the judgment is rendered, and if the judgment debtor shows the Superior Court that an appeal from the foreign judgment is pending or shall be tak…

Any person filing a foreign judgment shall pay to the Clerk the fee established by the Superior Court. Fees for docketing, transcription, or other enforcement proceedings shall be as provided for judgments of the Superior Court.

The right of a judgment creditor to bring an action to enforce a judgment in lieu of proceeding under this subchapter remains unimpaired.

This subchapter shall be interpreted and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of jurisdictions that enact it.

This subchapter may be cited as the “Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgments Recognition Act of 2011”.

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) “Foreign country” means a government other than: (A) The United States; (B) The District of Columbia, a state, district, commonwealth, territory, or insular possession of the United States; or (C) Any other government with regard…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, this subchapter applies to a foreign-country judgment to the extent that the judgment: (1) Grants or denies recovery of a sum of money; and (2) Under the law of the foreign country where rendered, is: (A) Final; …

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a court of the District of Columbia shall recognize a foreign-country judgment to which this subchapter applies. (b) A court of the District of Columbia may not recognize a foreign-country judgment if th…

(a) A foreign-country judgment may not be refused recognition for lack of personal jurisdiction if the: (1) Defendant was served with process personally in the foreign country; (2) Defendant voluntarily appeared in the proceeding, other than for the purpose of protecting property…

(a) If recognition of a foreign-country judgment is sought as an original matter, the issue of recognition shall be raised by filing an action seeking recognition of the foreign-country judgment. (b) If recognition of a foreign-country judgment is sought in a pending action, the …