Rule 8 - Trial Continuance(a) CONTINUING TRIAL DATE.(1)In General. No trial date may be continued except by court order. Except as provided in Rule 8(a)(3), engagement by an attorney in another court or in any other branch or division of this court is not a ground for continuing, to a later date, a trial in the Landlord and Tenant Branch.(2)Sanctions for Failure to Comply. Failure of an attorney to appear for trial when a case is called in the Landlord and Tenant Branch, or in the Civil Actions Branch after referral from the Landlord and Tenant Branch, may be grounds for: (A) striking the appearance of the absent attorney;(B) a dismissal or a default; or(C) any other appropriate sanction.(3)Exceptions. This rule does not apply to engagement by an attorney in: (A) the Supreme Court of the United States;(B) the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit;(C) the United States District Court for the District of Columbia; or(D) the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.(b) PROCEEDING WITHOUT THE ATTORNEY. If permitted by Rule 9, a person, whose attorney fails to appear at trial, may proceed without representation.COMMENT TO 2019 AMENDMENTS
This rule has been amended consistent with the stylistic changes to the civil rules.