DC Small Claims vs Civil Actions Branch vs Landlord and Tenant Court

Three Branches of DC Superior Court's Civil Division

The District of Columbia doesn't have a single civil court. Its Superior Court splits civil disputes across three branches, each with different dollar limits, case types, and procedural rules. Filing in the wrong one means your case gets transferred or dismissed — either way, you lose weeks.

Here's how the Small Claims and Conciliation Branch, the Civil Actions Branch, and the Landlord and Tenant Branch compare.

Small Claims and Conciliation Branch

This is the branch designed for people without lawyers who want money back. It handles claims for the recovery of money only, up to $10,000 (D.C. Code § 11-1321).

What belongs here:

• Unpaid invoices, broken contracts, and bounced deposits
• Security deposit claims (money only — you're asking for dollars back, not repairs or possession)
• Property damage from car accidents, movers, or neighbors
• Consumer disputes and defective goods
• Contractor disputes where you want your deposit returned

What does NOT belong here:

• Any claim involving an interest in real property (possession, ejectment, title)
• Claims over $10,000
• Requests for someone to do something (specific performance, injunctions, repairs)
• Evictions or lease terminations

Filing fees range from $5 to $45 depending on the claim amount. The process is streamlined: simplified forms, no mandatory written answer from the defendant, and hearings typically scheduled 21 to 30 days after filing. You can file in person at Court Building B (510 4th Street NW, Room 120), by mail, or through the eFileDC portal.

If your claim exceeds $10,000, you can waive the excess and still file here — but you permanently give up the right to recover anything above the cap.

Civil Actions Branch

The Civil Actions Branch at the Moultrie Courthouse (500 Indiana Avenue NW, Room 5000) handles money claims exceeding $10,000 and certain other civil cases outside the Small Claims Branch's jurisdiction.

What belongs here:

• Money claims exceeding $10,000
• Lawsuits requesting specific performance (forcing someone to complete a contract)
• Housing code violation petitions under the Housing Conditions Calendar
• Any case where a small claims matter gets certified up because it touches real property
• Tort claims that exceed small claims jurisdiction

Key differences from small claims:

• No dollar cap on claims
• Formal pleading rules apply — you file a complaint, the defendant files an answer, and discovery (depositions, interrogatories, document requests) is standard
• Filing fees are set by the Civil Division's separate fee schedule
• Attorneys are common, and the procedural complexity makes self-representation harder

If you file a $7,000 contractor claim in Small Claims but the contractor raises a defense that affects an interest in real property, the Small Claims Branch loses jurisdiction and must certify the action immediately to Civil Actions.

Landlord and Tenant Branch

The Landlord and Tenant Branch (Court Building B, 510 4th Street NW, Room 110) handles disputes that involve possession of residential or commercial property.

What belongs here:

• Eviction proceedings (nonpayment of rent, lease violations, holdover tenants)
• Lease termination disputes
• Actions to recover possession of property
• Counterclaims by tenants facing eviction

What does NOT belong here:

• Pure money claims between a former tenant and former landlord (Small Claims if the claim is $10,000 or less)
• Security deposit refund lawsuits after the tenant has already moved out (small claims)
• Housing code violations where the tenant wants court-ordered repairs (that goes to the Housing Conditions Calendar in Civil Actions)

The critical dividing line: if someone still lives in the unit and you want them out, that's Landlord and Tenant. If everyone has moved on and you just want money, file in Small Claims if the claim is $10,000 or less; a larger claim goes to Civil Actions.

How to Pick the Right Branch

Start with two questions:

1. Are you asking for money only, or do you need the court to order something else?

Money only and $10,000 or less → Small Claims. Money only but over $10,000 → Civil Actions. Need someone evicted, a contract performed, or repairs ordered → Landlord and Tenant or Civil Actions, depending on the specific relief.

2. Does your claim touch real property?

If your dispute involves who gets to occupy a property, who owns it, or whether the property meets code requirements, it cannot stay in Small Claims even if the dollar amount fits. Security deposits are the exception — a claim purely for the return of money is a small claims matter, even though it arose from a lease.

A tenant owed $3,000 in security deposit after moving out files in Small Claims. A landlord seeking to evict a tenant who owes $3,000 in back rent files in Landlord and Tenant. Same dollar amount, different branches, because the relief sought is different.

What Happens If You File in the Wrong Branch

If a claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or defense in a Small Claims case affects an interest in real property, the Branch loses jurisdiction and must certify the action immediately to Civil Actions. Actions seeking recovery of possession of real property belong in the Landlord and Tenant Branch.

Don't guess. If your situation involves both money and property (a security deposit dispute where the tenant hasn't moved out yet, or a contractor claim where you also want the work completed), the Small Claims Resource Center at the Neighborhood Legal Services Program offers procedural guidance.

Filing Your Small Claims Case

If your dispute is a straightforward money claim under $10,000, the Small Claims and Conciliation Branch is the fastest path. The DC Small Claims Filing Guide walks through every step — from sending the demand letter through filing the Statement of Claim, serving the defendant, and preparing for the hearing.

See more District of Columbia guides →