Transfer of civil actions to Superior Court

  1. Law
  2. District of Columbia Code
  3. Organization and Jurisdiction of the Courts. [Enacted title]
  4. Superior Court of the District of Columbia
  5. Jurisdiction
  6. 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 subsequent to any pretrial hearing but before trial thereof that the action will not justify a judgment in excess of $10,000 and does not otherwise invoke the jurisdiction of the court, the court may certify the action to the Superior Court for trial.

(b) In a civil action begun in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia during the thirty-month period beginning on the effective date of the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 1970, the court may certify the action to the Superior Court if it appears to the satisfaction of the United States District Court at or subsequent to any pretrial hearing, but before the trial thereof, that —

(1) the action will not justify a judgment in excess of $50,000; and

(2) the action does not otherwise invoke the jurisdiction of the court.

(c) When an action is transferred under this section, the pleadings in the action, together with a copy of the docket entries and copies of any orders entered therein, and the deposit for costs, shall be sent to the Superior Court. The Superior Court shall thereafter treat the case as though it had been filed originally in that court, except that the jurisdiction of the court shall extend to the amount claimed in the action even though it exceeds the applicable jurisdictional limitation.

(July 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 486, Pub. L. 91-358, title I, § 111.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 11-922.

1973 Ed., § 11-922.

Cross References

District Charter provisions relating to jurisdiction of Superior Court, see § 1-204.31.

References in Text

“The effective date of the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 1970” referred to throughout this section, means, as set forth in § 199(c) of the Act, the first day of the seventh month which began after the enactment of the Act.


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