# Super. Ct. L&T R. 7: Rule 7. Time of Sessions, Office Hours, and Trials

> District of Columbia · Court rules · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R7

## Section

- **Citation:** Super. Ct. L&T R. 7
- **Heading:** Rule 7. Time of Sessions, Office Hours, and Trials
- **Jurisdiction:** District of Columbia
- **Kind:** Court rules
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** District of Columbia Court Rules / Civil Division / Superior Court Rules of Procedure for the Landlord and Tenant Branch / Super. Ct. L&T R. 7

## Text

(a) SESSIONS. The Landlord and Tenant Branch must hold sessions every business
day except as determined by the Chief Judge.
(b) OFFICE HOURS. The clerk’s office—with a clerk or deputy on duty to assist the
public—must be open during normal business hours as set by the Chief Judge. When
practicable, those hours will comport with the hours of operation posted on the Superior
Court’s website.
(c) INITIAL HEARING.
(1) In General. All cases must be set for an initial hearing.
(2) Application for Continuance.
(A) Application. A party may file an application requesting that the court continue the
initial hearing date. Before requesting a continuance, the applicant must make a
reasonable effort to notify the other party.
(B) Hearing. The court may either grant the continuance without a hearing or hold a
hearing on the application as soon as practicable. The court may hold the hearing
without the participation of the other party. But if the other party is neither physically
present at the hearing nor available by video teleconferencing or telephone
conferencing, i.e., remotely, the court may continue the initial hearing only for good
cause and for a reasonable period of time.
(C) Notice of New Date. If the court continues the hearing when the other party
does not participate in person or remotely, the clerk must provide notice of the new date
to that party.
(d) NON-JURY TRIALS. Cases are set for trial by the court or by consent of the parties
after consultation with the clerk about available trial dates.
COMMENT TO 2023 AMENDMENTS
Subsections (c)(2)(B) and (C) have been amended to allow the court greater
flexibility in granting continuances with or without a hearing, to specify when the court
may hold or continue the initial hearing without a party’s participation, and to permit a
party to participate by video teleconferencing.
COMMENT TO 2019 AMENDMENTS
This rule has been amended consistent with the stylistic changes to the civil rules
(B) and (C) have been amended to allow the court greater
flexibility in granting continuances with or without a hearing, to specify when the court
may hold or continue the initial hearing without a party’s participation, and to permit a
party to participate by video teleconferencing.
COMMENT TO 2019 AMENDMENTS
This rule has been amended consistent with the stylistic changes to the civil rules.
The provision addressing applications for continuance has been expanded to include
additional procedures for the same-day hearing.

## Nearby sections

- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 1 Rule 1. Scope and Purpose](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R1.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 2 Rule 2. Applicability of Certain Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R2.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 3 Rule 3. Commencement of Action](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R3.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 3-I Rule 3-I. Properties Subject to Court-Ordered Receiverships](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R3_I.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 3-II Rule 3-II. Joinder of Persons or Entities Needed for Just Adjudication](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R3_II.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 4 Rule 4. Process](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R4.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 5 Rule 5. Pleading by the Defendant](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R5.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 6 Rule 6. Jury Demand](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R6.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 7 Rule 7. Time of Sessions, Office Hours, and Trials](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R7.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 7-I Rule 7-I. [Deleted]](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R7_I.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 8 Rule 8. Trial Continuance](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R8.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 9 Rule 9. Persons Appearing in a Representative Capacity](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R9.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 10 Rule 10. Discovery](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R10.md)
- [Super. Ct. L&T R. 11 Rule 11. Proceedings by the Court](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R11.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/SRULES_DC_SUPLT_R7. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.