On February 27, 2020, the Court of Appeals decided Frankeny v. District Hospital Partners LP, 18-CV-628 (D.C. Feb. 27, 2020) which establishes pro-consumer precedent under the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act (“CPPA”). By way of background, the CPPA prohibits unfair or deceptive trade practices including those listed in D.C. Code § 28-3904. Subsection…

On September 19, 2019, the Court of Appeals decided Edwards v. Safeway, Inc., 17-CV-464, Slip. op. (D.C. Sept. 19, 2019) in which it considered, inter alia, whether the plaintiff in the proceedings below was entitled to present evidence of punitive damages for the defendant’s conversion of her personal property. The trial court “precluded [the plaintiff]…

On May 3, 2019, the District of Columbia Sexual Abuse Statute of Limitations Amendment Act of 2018 went into effect as D.C. Law 22-311. The new law provides a substantially longer statute of limitations for certain civil cases arising from sexual abuse. Prior law stated that a claim “for the recovery of damages arising out…

On February 28, 2019, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals decided HVAC Specialist, Inc. v Dominion Mechanical Contractors, Inc., Nos. 2016-CV-1220 & 16-CV-1278, slip op. (D.C. Feb. 28, 2019), in which it considered, inter alia, whether a defending party had waived the affirmative defense of illegality by not timely raising the defense. By way…