The Superior Court of the District of Columbia has amended its March 16, 2020 Order. All non-emergency hearings scheduled before May 15, 2020 will be rescheduled and postponed. All deadlines and time limits in statutes, court rules, and standing orders that would otherwise expire before May 15, 2020 including statutes of limitations, are tolled during the period of the emergency. The courts are still open for filings, though, and some ripe motions are still being ruled upon.
Any obligation of any tenant under a protective order to make payments into the court registry is suspended during the period of the emergency. Tenants should make these payments instead directly to landlords, and a landlord’s acceptance of a direct payment will not prejudice the landlord’s ability to prosecute the action. If a landlord seeks sanctions for violation of a protective order after the public health emergency ends, the court will consider, in addition to other relevant circumstances, exigent circumstances relating to the public health emergency.
All evictions of tenants and foreclosed homeowners on or before May 15, 2020 are stayed.
The Order can be read here.
