In April 2022, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia issued a revised General Mediation Order setting forth revised mediation procedures for all cases in the Court’s Civil Division. By way of background, cases in the Civil Division are routinely scheduled for mandatory mediation administered by the Court’s Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division.
The revisions
D.C. Law Blog
Blog Authors
Latest from D.C. Law Blog
Superior Court Amends Civil Rule Governing Motions Practice
On March 24, 2022, the Superior Court adopted Rule Promulgation Order 22-05, which, among other things, amends Superior Court Civil Rule 12-I, the principal civil rule governing motions practice. The amendment makes three changes to motions practice.
First, the amendment narrows the requirement to seek consent to the relief sought from the other affected parties…
New Statute Provides Alternative Means for Service of Process in Certain Motor Vehicle Collision Cases
The D.C. Council recently enacted a statute providing an alternative means for service of process in certain motor vehicle collision cases. The statute applies where the defendant is “a resident and who was the owner or operator of a motor vehicle at the time such vehicle was involved in a collision on any public highway…
New Statute Bans Non-Compete Provisions in Employment Contracts and Employer Policies
On January 11, 2021, the D.C. Council enacted legislation to ban non-compete provision in employment contracts and employer policies in the District of Columbia. The legislation, known as the “Ban on Non-Compete Agreements Amendment Act of 2020” (A23-0563), became effective on March 16, 2021.
The enacted statute contains five main provisions that are generally applicable…
Superior Court Releases Data on Jury Trial Verdicts in Medical Malpractice, Slip-and-Fall, and Auto Accident Cases for 2019
The Superior Court of the District of Columbia has released compilations of data regarding jury trial verdicts in medical malpractice, slip-and-fall, and auto accident cases for 2019 (i.e., January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019). According to the compilations:
» There were three jury trial verdicts in medical malpractice cases during 2019, two of which…
Court of Appeals Clarifies Procedures and Standards for Deciding a Special Motion to Dismiss Under Anti-SLAPP Act
On December 10, 2020, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals decided Saudi American Public Relations Affairs Committee v. Institute for Gulf Affairs, 18-CV-1296, slip op. (D.C. Dec. 10, 2020), in which it reviewed a trial court’s decision to summarily deny a special motion to dismiss under the District of Columbia Anti-Strategic Lawsuits Against Public…
Court of Appeals Holds that Treble Damages for Unpaid Wages Are Mandatory Under the Wage Payment and Collection Law
On June 11, 2020, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals decided Sivaraman v. Guizzetti & Associates, Ltd., 18-CV-1201, in which it considered, inter alia, whether the trial court erred by not awarding treble damages on a claim for unpaid wages under the District of Columbia’s Wage Payment and Collection Law, D.C. Code §§ 32-1301…
Court of Appeals Holds that Evidence of Intent Is Not Required to Establish Consumer Protection Claim
On February 27, 2020, the Court of Appeals decided Frankeny v. District Hospital Partners LP, 18-CV-628 (D.C. Feb. 27, 2020) which establishes pro-consumer precedent under the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act (“CPPA”).
By way of background, the CPPA prohibits unfair or deceptive trade practices including those listed in D.C. Code § 28-3904. Subsection…
Court of Appeals Holds that Admission of Liability Does Not Preclude Evidence of How an Incident Occurred If Relevant to the Issue of Punitive Damages
On September 19, 2019, the Court of Appeals decided Edwards v. Safeway, Inc., 17-CV-464, Slip. op. (D.C. Sept. 19, 2019) in which it considered, inter alia, whether the plaintiff in the proceedings below was entitled to present evidence of punitive damages for the defendant’s conversion of her personal property.
The trial court “precluded [the plaintiff]…
Longer Statute of Limitations Now in Effect for Certain Sexual Abuse Cases
On May 3, 2019, the District of Columbia Sexual Abuse Statute of Limitations Amendment Act of 2018 went into effect as D.C. Law 22-311. The new law provides a substantially longer statute of limitations for certain civil cases arising from sexual abuse.
Prior law stated that a claim “for the recovery of damages arising out…