Short answer. Cases go to the Landlord and Tenant Branch, Superior Court. No written answer is needed unless the tenant wants a jury trial (or raises a plea of title or counterclaim); the tenant comes to the initial hearing. Who carries out a lockout: u.s. marshals service.
At a glance
- Court
- Landlord and Tenant Branch, Superior Court. The Landlord and Tenant Branch of the Superior Court's Civil Division.
"Civil Division, Landlord and Tenant Branch of the Superior Court"
Source 2 - Hearing after filing
- Initial hearings are scheduled at least 28 calendar days after filing.
"Initial hearings are scheduled at least 28 calendar days from the file date."
Source 2 - Time to answer or appear
- No written answer is needed unless the tenant wants a jury trial (or raises a plea of title or counterclaim); the tenant comes to the initial hearing.
"Defendants are not required to file a written answer unless they are requesting a trial by jury"
Source 2 - Judgment to writ
- The landlord waits at least 48 hours after a judgment or default before filing for the writ of restitution (valid for 75 days).
"wait at least forty-eight hours after entry of a judgment or a default"
Source 1 - Who carries out the lockout
- U.S. Marshals Service. The eviction is carried out under the supervision of the United States Marshals Service.
"under the supervision of the United States Marshals Service"
Source 2 - Paying to stop the case
- The tenant can redeem the tenancy by paying all rent, interest and costs owed at any time before the eviction.
"a defendant may redeem the tenancy by paying in full the past due rent."
Source 2
Sample timeline: filed Monday, December 7, 2026
Earliest under the statute; courts' calendars often take longer.
- Answer or appear: Monday, January 4, 2027
- Hearing or trial: Monday, January 4, 2027
- Judgment: Monday, January 4, 2027
- Writ or warrant of possession: Wednesday, January 6, 2027
- Earliest lockout: no date (Not confirmed on an official page)
Another date: open the estimator.
Help the official pages point to
- The tenant can redeem the tenancy by paying all rent, interest and costs owed at any time before the eviction.
- Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network (D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center), free legal information for tenants and small landlords (source 2)
- Landlord and Tenant Resource Center and a free court mediator at initial hearings (source 2)
Not stated on the pages we read: filing fee, writ to lockout, right to counsel (statewide), diversion or mediation (statewide).
Official sources
- D.C. Courts: I have a judgment or a default against my tenant. How do I evict the tenant? (checked November 2026)
- D.C. Superior Court: Case Management Plan, Landlord and Tenant Branch (rev. Feb. 2021) (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Not a court form. Earliest under the statute; courts' calendars often take longer.
Common questions
Which court hears eviction cases in District of Columbia?
Landlord and Tenant Branch, Superior Court. The Landlord and Tenant Branch of the Superior Court's Civil Division.
How long does a tenant in District of Columbia have to respond?
No written answer is needed unless the tenant wants a jury trial (or raises a plea of title or counterclaim); the tenant comes to the initial hearing.
How soon after filing is the District of Columbia hearing?
Initial hearings are scheduled at least 28 calendar days after filing. That's the statute's window; the court's own calendar decides the actual date.
When can a District of Columbia landlord get the writ after winning?
The landlord waits at least 48 hours after a judgment or default before filing for the writ of restitution (valid for 75 days).
Who carries out an eviction in District of Columbia?
U.S. Marshals Service. The eviction is carried out under the supervision of the United States Marshals Service. The officer acts on the court's order.
Can paying the rent stop a District of Columbia eviction case?
The tenant can redeem the tenancy by paying all rent, interest and costs owed at any time before the eviction.
Notice step: notice periods · Deposit step: deposit rules · All states: eviction process by state · Colorado · Florida