Rule 10 - Form of Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers(a) STATIONERY. Pleadings, motions, and other papers must be on opaque white paper, approximately 11 inches long and 8 1/2 inches wide, without a back or cover.(b) CAPTION; NAMES OF PARTIES; LOCATIONAL INFORMATION. (1)In General. Except as provided in Rule 10(b)(2), every pleading, motion, or other paper must contain a caption setting forth: (A) the name of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Family Court Domestic Relations Branch;(B) the title of the action, which must include:(i) in the complaint, petition, and answer, the names and residence addresses of all parties; or(ii) in pleadings, motions, and papers, other than the complaint, petition, and answer, the name of the first party on each side with an appropriate indication of other parties;(D) the name of the pleading, motion, or other paper and, if a request for child support is made in the pleading, the inscription "ACTION INVOLVING CHILD SUPPORT" immediately below the name of the pleading;(E) where necessary to avoid confusion, the name or names of the party or parties on whose behalf the pleading or other paper is filed; and(F) if the case has been assigned to a specific calendar or a specific judge or magistrate judge, the calendar number or the judge or magistrate judge's name must appear below the file number.(2)Substituted Address. A party who has a reasonable basis to fear harassment or harm to the party or the party's family from disclosure of the party's residence address is not required to state the address if the party substitutes the name and residence or other address of the party's attorney or a third person willing to accept service copies for the party and in care of whom such service copies may be sent. A paper which has a substituted address must be clearly marked to indicate that such a substitution has been made. In using a substitute address, a party certifies that the party may be notified of court proceedings and receive service copies of papers at that address.(3)Parties' Information Deemed Correct and Current. Except as modified by a notice filed with the court and served on the parties under Rule 5, the names, addresses, and telephone numbers represented in the pleading, motion, or other paper are deemed conclusively correct and current.(c) SIGNING OF PLEADING, MOTION, OR OTHER PAPER. Every pleading, motion, or other paper must be signed in accordance with Rule 11. Below the signature, the paper must contain: (1) if the party is represented by counsel, the attorney's name, office address, telephone number, e-mail address, if any, and District of Columbia Bar number; or(2) if the party is not represented by counsel, the name, full residence address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the party by whom the paper was filed, or a substitute name, address and telephone number if a substitution has been made under Rule 10(b)(2).(d) PARAGRAPHS. (1)In General. Each claim or defense must be made in a separate paragraph. The contents of each paragraph must be limited as far as practicable to a statement of a single set of circumstances.(2)Prior or Pending Action. The last paragraph of a party's initial pleading must (A) identify the court and docket number of any prior or pending action based on or including the same claim or subject matter; or(B) state that there are no such cases.(e) ADOPTION BY REFERENCE; EXHIBITS. A statement in a pleading may be adopted by reference elsewhere in the same pleading or in any other pleading, motion, or paper. A copy of a written instrument that is an exhibit to a pleading, motion, or other paper is a part of the pleading, motion, or paper for all purposes.(f) NONCONFORMANCE WITH ABOVE. A pleading, motion, or other paper not conforming to the requirements of this rule will not be accepted for filing.COMMENT TO 2018 AMENDMENTS
This rule contains provisions from both Civil Rules 10 and 10 -I, and it has been amended to conform to those civil rules. Many parties, including self-represented parties, prefer to receive communications electronically, and the rule requires parties with email addresses to provide them.
COMMENT
Subparagraph (b)(7) of this Rule allows a party to use a substitute address on pleadings where the party fears that disclosing a residence address will pose a risk of harassment or harm to the party or his or her family. A party who uses a substitute address will be deemed to have certified that the party may receive notice of court proceedings and papers at that address.