Sup. Ct. R. D.C. 62-III

As amended through October 11, 2024

Rule 62-III - Enforcing Foreign Judgments; Recognizing Foreign-Country Money Judgments

(a) FOREIGN JUDGMENTS ENTITLED TO FULL FAITH AND CREDIT.

(1)Filing Requirements. A copy of a judgment, decree or order of a court of the United States, or of any other court entitled to full faith and credit in the District of Columbia, may be filed with the clerk by the judgment creditor or the judgment creditor's lawyer only if:

(A) the judgment is authenticated in accordance with District of Columbia law;

(B) the judgment is accompanied by a completed version of Civil Action Form 112, "Request to File Foreign Judgment"; and

(C) the filing fee established by the court has been paid.

(2)Effect, Enforcement, and Satisfaction. A foreign judgment, decree, or order of a court of the United States or of any other court entitled to full faith and credit in the District of Columbia, which is filed with the clerk, has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses, or proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying as a judgment of the Superior Court and may be enforced or satisfied in the same manner, subject to the provisions of the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act of 1990, D.C. Code §§ 15-351 to -357 (2012 Repl.).

(b) FOREIGN-COUNTRY MONEY JUDGMENTS ENTITLED TO RECOGNITION. The judgment of a court of a foreign country may be entitled to recognition under the Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgments Recognition Act of 2011, D.C. Code §§ 15361 to -371 (2012 Repl.). Recognition may be sought in a pending action or as an original matter.

Sup. Ct. R. D.C. 62-III

Last amended by Order dated August 22, 2017, effective 9/5/2017.

COMMENT TO 2017 AMENDMENTS

Former Superior Court Rule 72 has been renumbered as Rule 62 -III in order to reflect that there is no Superior Court rule that corresponds to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 72. This rule has been amended to conform with the 2007 restyling of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

The rule was also amended to clarify that the procedures for foreign judgments entitled to full faith and credit differ from the procedures for foreign-country money judgments entitled to recognition.

COMMENT

Rule 72 is intended to implement the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act of 1990, (D.C. Code §§ 15-351 -- 15-357) which has been adopted by the District of Columbia. As a "Uniform Act," it should be construed to effectuate its general purpose to make consistent the law of all jurisdictions that enact it. Accordingly, where there are no interpretations of the Act's provisions in this jurisdiction, guidance may be found in the decisions of other jurisdictions that have adopted this Act. While the Act was intended to provide a simple and expeditious procedure to enforce a foreign judgment in the District of Columbia, it does not impair the right of a judgment creditor to resort to the cumbersome prior practice of bringing suit to enforce a foreign judgment.