Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer

District of Columbia Code Division VIII. General Laws. § 47-1374. Service of process.

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) The plaintiff shall set forth in the caption of the complaint the last address known to the plaintiff or to the attorney filing the complaint of each defendant, as obtained from:

(1) Any records examined as part of the title examination;

(2) The Recorder of Deeds; and

(3) Any other address that is known to the plaintiff or the attorney filing the complaint.

(b) Subsection (a) of this section shall not require the plaintiff or the attorney for the plaintiff to make any investigations or to search any other records or sources of information other than those stated.

(c) This subsection applies only if a last known address for a defendant is obtained as provided under subsections (a) and (b) of this section.  The plaintiff shall cause a copy of the order of publication to be mailed by first class, certified mail, postage prepaid, to each defendant's address as determined by the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

(d) Notice to a defendant may be made in any other manner that results in actual notice of the pendency of the action to the defendant. If notice is given under this subsection, the plaintiff shall file an affidavit that fairly describes the method and time of service.

(e)(1) A final judgment may not be entered earlier than the later of:

(A) One year following the initial scheduling conference in the foreclosure action;  or

(B) Four months following the completion of service on the owner and all parties identified as defendants in § 47-1371.

(2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to any final judgment in which all interested parties have disclaimed any interest in the property subject to the judgment or in a case where a real property was sold under § 47-1353(a)(3) or (b).

Previous Part of Code Next Part of Code
Back to Chapter List

Cite this article: FindLaw.com - District of Columbia Code Division VIII. General Laws. § 47-1374. Service of process. - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/dc/division-viii-general-laws/dc-code-sect-47-1374/

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.

Was this helpful?

Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes

A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.

Go to Learn About the Law

Latest Blog Posts

For Legal Professionals

Learn About The Law

Get help with your legal needs

FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.

Go to Learn About the Law

Need to Find an Attorney?

Search our directory by legal issue

Enter information in one or both fields (Required)

Copied to clipboard