Rule 1 Title, Scope, and Purpose

(a) TITLE. These rules may be known and cited as the Rules Governing Domestic Relations Proceedings of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, as the Rules Governing Domestic Relations Proceedings, or as “Super. Ct. Dom. Rel. R. __.”

(b) SCOPE. These rules govern the procedure in all actions and proceedings in the Domestic Relations Branch of the Family Court of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, including:

(1) actions for divorce from the bond of marriage and legal separation from bed and board, including proceedings incidental thereto for alimony and for support and custody of minor children;

(2) applications for revocation of divorce from bed and board;

(3) actions to enforce support of any person as required by law, including proceedings to register an order from another jurisdiction for enforcement or modification under D.C. Code §§ 46-356.01 to -.16 (2018 Supp.);

(4) actions involving custody of minor children, including proceedings to register an order from another jurisdiction under D.C. Code § 16-4603.05 (2012 Repl.), petitions for appointment of standby guardian under D.C. Code §§ 16-4801 to -4810 (2012 Repl.), writs of habeas corpus under D.C. Code § 16-1908 (2018 Supp.), and incidental proceedings for support of the minor children;

(5) actions to declare marriages void;

(6) actions to declare marriages valid;

(7) actions for annulments of marriage;

(8) determinations and adjudications of property rights, both real and personal, in any action referred to in this rule;

(9) proceedings for interstate or reciprocal support under D.C. Code §§ 46-351.01 to - 359.03 (2018 Supp.);

(10) proceedings to determine parentage.

(c) PURPOSE. These rules should be construed, administered, and employed by the court and the parties to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action and proceeding.

(d) APPLICABILITY OF CIVIL RULES. When a civil claim is raised with a domestic relations action in a complaint, counterclaim, or motion, the Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure apply to that claim. At any time during the pendency of the domestic relations case, the judge or magistrate judge who is assigned to the domestic relations action may bifurcate the civil claim for trial purposes or may certify the civil claim to the Civil Division for adjudication under existing civil rules. The judge or magistrate judge may also refer the civil claim for any type of alternative dispute resolution regardless of the litigation status of the domestic relations case.