Rule 9 - Persons Appearing in a Representative Capacity(a) IN GENERAL. Except as provided in Rule 9(b) and (c) and District of Columbia Court of Appeals Rule 49(c), only members in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar are permitted to appear in the Landlord and Tenant Branch in a representative capacity for any purpose other than securing a continuance. This rule does not prevent a natural person from prosecuting or defending any action on the person's own behalf without counsel.(b) CORPORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS. No corporation or partnership may appear in the Landlord and Tenant Branch without a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar, except that a corporation or partnership may appear as a defendant through an authorized officer, director, partner, or employee solely for the purpose of entering into a consent agreement as approved by the court. The nonlawyer appearing for the corporation or partnership must file the proof of authority required by District of Columbia Court of Appeals Rule 49(c)(11).(c) LAW STUDENTS. Any law student admitted to the limited practice of law under District of Columbia Court of Appeals Rule 48 may engage in the limited practice of law in the Landlord and Tenant Branch subject to the provisions of Civil Rule 101.COMMENT TO 2019 AMENDMENTS
This rule has been amended consistent with the stylistic changes to the civil rules.
COMMENT
This rule does not alter the requirement that defendant corporations may not appear pro se to defend a case and must be represented by counsel for any matter other than a consent judgment. Court of Appeals Rule 49(c)(8) provides that the non-lawyer's appearance on behalf of the corporation shall be accompanied by an affidavit of a corporate officer or corporate resolution vesting in the representative the requisite authority to bind the corporation in a settlement or consent judgment. See SCR LT Form 6.