District of Columbia Laws
111 articles · page 2 of 2
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District of Columbia FOIA: Deadlines, Bodycam Rules, and Mayoral Appeals
D.C. FOIA explained: any person may request, 15 days for records and 25 days for body-worn camera footage, tiered fees, and an optional appeal to the Mayor.
District of Columbia Hit and Run Laws: Penalties & Guide
DC hit and run laws under D.C. Code 50-2201.05c: leaving after colliding carries up to 30 days for property damage and up to 180 days when a person is injured.
District of Columbia Identity Theft Laws: Statute, Penalties, and Victim Rights
DC's identity theft law (D.C. Code § 22-3227.02) carries penalties up to 10 years. Learn the degree structure, record-correction rights, and how to report it.
District of Columbia Jury Duty Laws (2026): Pay and Employer Rules
D.C. jury duty pays $57 a day if your job does not pay you. See who can serve, how to be excused or defer, employer pay rules under § 15-718, and penalties.
District of Columbia Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026): Deposits, Notice, and Tenant Rights
DC security deposit capped at 1 month (interest-bearing), 45-day return, 48-hour entry notice, 5% late-fee cap, and active rent control at 4.8% for 2025.
District of Columbia Laws on Recording in Public: Complete Legal Guide
D.C. public recording laws: filming on streets, the National Mall, and at protests, plus NPS permit rules after the 2025 EXPLORE Act and the D.C. drone ban.
District of Columbia Laws on Recording Police: Your Rights and Limits
Learn your right to record police in D.C. First Amendment protections, MPD body camera rules, federal building limits, and what to do if officers tell you to stop.
District of Columbia Marriage & Divorce Records: Court Records Only
DC Health has no role in marriage or divorce records. The Superior Court Marriage Bureau issues certified copies at $10 each, divorce included.
District of Columbia Marriage License Requirements 2026: $45, No Wait
How to get a DC marriage license in 2026: the $45 fee, no waiting period, a license that never expires, the age-18 rule, self-officiation and officiant rules.
District of Columbia Phone Call Recording Laws: Consent Rules and Interstate Calls
D.C. phone call recording laws follow one-party consent under D.C. Code 23-542. Learn rules for interstate calls to Maryland, business recording, and penalties.
District of Columbia Pornography Laws (2026): What's Legal and What's a Felony
DC pornography law explained: obscenity vs. private possession, harmful-to-minors rules, sexual-performance felonies, no age-verification statute, and revenge porn tiers.
District of Columbia Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)
DC probate explained: the Superior Court Probate Division, intestate succession under §19-302, the $80,000 small estate threshold, and DC's estate tax.
District of Columbia Property Records: How to Find Out Who Owns a Property (2026)
DC has no counties, just one Recorder of Deeds inside the tax office. Learn how to search DC property records, deed fees, and PropertyQuest.
District of Columbia Punitive Damages Laws: Proof and Limits (2026)
D.C. allows punitive damages at common law when malice or its equivalent is shown by clear and convincing evidence; there is no general cap on awards.
District of Columbia Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get a Civil Protection Order
How to get a Civil Protection Order (CPO) in DC: who qualifies, how long it lasts (up to 2 years), filing process, firearms rules, and violation penalties.
District of Columbia Security Camera Laws: Installation Rules and Privacy Limits
D.C. security camera laws for homes, businesses, and public spaces. Learn about the Private Security Camera Rebate Program, audio capture rules, and placement limits.
District of Columbia Self-Defense Laws: Retreat Rules (2027)
D.C. has no stand-your-ground law or duty to retreat, but a jury may weigh a safe chance to retreat when deadly force was used or possibly justified (Dawkins).
District of Columbia Slip and Fall Laws: Proving Premises Liability in DC
DC slip and fall law: pure contributory negligence bars any recovery if you share 1% fault. 3-year SOL, 6-month gov notice, natural-accumulation ice/snow rule explained.
District of Columbia Surveillance Camera Laws (2026 Guide)
District of Columbia surveillance camera laws: home security, workplace cameras, neighbor disputes, audio recording rules.
District of Columbia Trade Secret Laws: UTSA, Remedies & Deadlines
DC trade secret law (D.C. Code §§ 36-401 to 36-410, 1988 UTSA): two-part test, 3-year limitations, exemplary damages, and federal DTSA overlay explained.
District of Columbia Unclaimed Property: How to Search & Claim Your Money (2026)
Find out if DC is holding unclaimed money for you. Free official search, notarized claim process, dormancy rules, and scam warnings explained.
District of Columbia Video Recording Laws: What You Need to Know
Understand D.C. video recording laws covering public filming, private property, surveillance cameras, and voyeurism penalties under D.C. Code 22-3531.
District of Columbia Voyeurism Laws: Hidden Camera Penalties and Privacy Rights
D.C. voyeurism law (D.C. Code 22-3531): hidden-camera and nonconsent recording penalties, the 5-year distribution felony, defenses, and revenge porn rules.
District of Columbia Warrant Search: How to Check If You Have a Warrant (2026)
Learn how to run a DC warrant search using Superior Court's free eAccess and Active Warrant List tools, and what to do if you have a warrant.
District of Columbia Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits
DC window tint laws: standard vehicles require 70% VLT on front side windows and 50% on back/rear. Minivans allow 55% front and 35% back/rear. Penalties up to $5,000.
District of Columbia Workers' Compensation Laws: Benefits, Deadlines, and Your Rights
DC workers' comp requires 1+ employee coverage. Learn the 1-year claim deadline, 66 2/3% wage rate, free doctor choice, and how DOES administers benefits.
District of Columbia Workplace Recording Laws: Employee and Employer Rights
D.C. workplace recording laws allow employees to record conversations they participate in. Learn employer camera rules, NLRA protections, and legal limits.
District of Columbia Wrongful Death Laws (2026)
DC wrongful death law: the 2-year deadline, the personal representative who files, the pecuniary-loss rule (no grief), the Survival Act, and contributory fault.
Does the District of Columbia Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
The District of Columbia has not enacted an age-verification law. No bill on adult-content age verification was found in DC Council records.
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Felony vs Misdemeanor in D.C.: Sentences, Fines and Probation
D.C. has no felony classes. See the one-year felony line, the fine table by maximum prison term, three-strikes rules and the 5-year probation cap.
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How to Find a Cause of Death in District of Columbia (2026)
How to find someone's cause of death in District of Columbia: it sits on the certified death certificate and OCME records, released only to eligible parties.
How to Get a District of Columbia Death Certificate (2026)
Get a District of Columbia death certificate from DC Health Vital Records for $18 per copy. Certified copies go to eligible family. Order online, by mail, phone, or in person.
How to Get a Police Report in DC (2026): PD-10 & PD-251 Reports
Request a DC crash report (PD-10, first-party only) or an incident report (PD-251, open to the public) from MPD. Fees, the FOIA route, and bodycam access.
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Is Blackmail Illegal in D.C.? Extortion and Blackmail Laws
D.C. makes blackmail a crime by name under D.C. Code 22-3252 (up to 5 years) and extortion under 22-3251 (up to 10 years). See the threats each covers.
Is Jaywalking Illegal in Washington, DC? Rules and Fines (2026)
In DC, pedestrians crossing outside a crosswalk must yield, and may not cross between signal-controlled intersections except in a crosswalk (18 DCMR 2304.1).
Is Kratom Legal in Washington, DC? 7-OH Rules (2026 Law)
Kratom leaf and mitragynine are not listed by name in D.C.'s schedules, but 7-OH is Schedule I (22-B DCMR 1201.1). Possession is a misdemeanor; no age limit.
Is Lane Splitting Legal in DC? (2026 District Rules)
DC has no rule allowing lane splitting. 18 DCMR 2201.6(a) requires riders to stay in a single lane, and DMV guidance says lane sharing is usually prohibited.
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Legal Separation in DC: Requirements, Residency and Divorce (2026)
How legal separation works in the District of Columbia under D.C. Code § 16-904(b): the six-month residency rule, property, alimony and conversion to divorce.
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Medical Malpractice Laws in Washington DC (2026): Deadlines
DC medical malpractice law in 2026: a 3-year deadline, no damage cap, a 90-day pre-suit notice (D.C. Code 16-2802), and the contributory negligence rule.
Motorcycle Accident Laws in Washington DC (2026): Helmets
DC motorcycle accident law: the 3-year deadline to sue, contributory negligence and the motorcyclist vulnerable-user carve-out, universal helmet law, and PIP.
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Truck Accident Laws in Washington, D.C. (2026): Deadlines & Liability
Washington, D.C. gives 3 years to file a truck-injury claim, 2 for wrongful death. It follows pure contributory negligence with an elective no-fault PIP option.
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Washington DC Drone Laws (2026): Rules & Restrictions
Washington DC sits in a federal no-fly zone and has no drone-specific privacy statute. See how DC's flight restrictions and general laws apply.
Washington DC DUI Laws: Penalties, BAC & License (2026)
Washington DC DUI laws: the 0.08% BAC limit, first-offense penalties under DC Code 50-2206.11, the 6-month revocation, and mandatory ignition interlock.
Washington DC Minimum Wage 2026: $18.40 and Tipped Wage Schedule
The DC minimum wage is $18.40 per hour since July 1, 2026. See the $10.30 tipped wage, the D.C. Law 26-55 phase-up to 75% by 2034 and the July 2027 CPI step.
Washington DC Power of Attorney Laws: Durable, Medical, and Financial POA (2026)
Learn how Washington DC power of attorney laws work in 2026. Covers the 2023 Uniform Power of Attorney Act (D.C. Code 21-2601 et seq.), durable by default, notarization requirement, hot powers, and the separate health-care POA under D.C. Code 21-2201 et seq.
Washington DC Social Security Disability: Rates & Waits
Social Security disability in Washington DC: no state SSI supplement for independent living, automatic Medicaid on SSI approval, approval odds, and wait times.
Washington, D.C. Emancipation Laws: How Minors Become Emancipated (2026)
Washington, D.C. has no general emancipation statute. Learn how DC minors can become legally emancipated through marriage, military service, or common-law self-support, and what rights follow.
Washington, DC Quitclaim Deed: Requirements, Recording and Taxes
How a quitclaim deed works in Washington, DC: signing and notary rules, the $30 recording fee, Form FP-7/C, and recordation and transfer tax exemptions.
Washington, DC Severance Pay Laws (2026): Is Severance Required?
DC law does not require private employers to pay severance and has no mini-WARN law. Learn when promised severance may be wages and how it affects unemployment.
Wrongful Termination in D.C. (2026): Laws, Deadlines, How to File
D.C. wrongful termination law: the Human Rights Act covers every employer, 1 year to file with OHR, 2 years to sue in court, punitive damages and Adams claims.