An Act to transfer certain functions from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions and to certain other agencies of the municipal government of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes
PL 89-493 (S.1611), enacted 07/05/1966

Transfer of func-
tions. 
80 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 89.493-JULY 5, 1966 
263 
Public Law 89493 
AN ACT 
j^ly 5, 1966 
To transfer certain functions from the United States District Court for the Dis- 
^^- ^61 :i] 
trict of Columbia to the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions and to 
certain other agencies of the municipal government of the District of Columbia, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and Houi^e of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That the first sen- ?;^;^^°"^J^;: 
tence of section 561 of the Act entitled "An Act to establish a code of 
law for the District of Columbia", approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat, 
1279), as amended (sec. 1-504, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is amended by 
ss stat. sii 
striking "United States District Court for the District of Columbia or 
a judge thereof", and inserting in lieu thereof "Commissioners of the 
District of Columbia or their designated agent". 
SEC. 2. Section 563 of the Act approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 
1279), as amended (sec. 1-506, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is amended to read 
as follows: "Each notary public shall file his signature and deposit an 
impression of his official seal with the Commissioners of the District 
of Columbia or their designated agent, and the Commissioners or their 
designated agent may certify to the authenticity of the signature and 
official seal of the notary public." 
SEC. 3. Section 572 of the Act approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 
1280^, as amended (sec. 1-515, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is amended by 
striking "United States District Court for the District of Columbia", 
and inserting in lieu thereof "District of Columbia Court of General 
Sessions". 
SEC. 4. Section 573 of the Act approved March 3,1901, as amended 
(sec. 1-516, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is amended by striking "clerk of the 
United States District Court for the District of Columfbia", and insert-
ing in lieu thereof "Commissioners of the District of Columbia or their 
designated agent". 
SEC. 5. The first sentence of the second paragraph of section 13 of 
the Act entitled "An Act to regulate the practice of optometry in the 
District of Columbia", approved May 28,1924, as amended (sec. 2-513, 
D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is amended by striking the semicolon and insert-
ing a period in lieu thereof, and striking the remainder of the sentence. 
SEC. 6. Sections 877, 878b, and 878f of the Act approved March 3, 
1901 (31 Stat. 1333), as amended (sees. 48-101, 48-302 and 48-306, 
D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), are amended by striking "clerk of the United 
States District Court for", and inserting in lieu thereof "Recorder of 
Deeds of". 
SEC. 7. (a) The first section of the Act entitled "An Act to regulate 
in the District of Columbia the traffic in, sale, and use of milk bottles, 
cans, crates, and other containers of milk and cream to prevent fraud 
and deception, and for other purposes", approved July 3, 1926 (44 
Stat. 809), as amended (sec. 48-201, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is amended 
by striking "clerk of the United States District Court for" wherever 
that term appears and inserting in lieu thereof "Recorder of Deeds of". 
(b) The first section of the Act entitled "An Act to authorize asso-
ciations of employees in the District of Columbia to adopt a device to 
designate the products of the labor of their members, to punish illegal 
use or imitation of such device, and for other purposes", approved 
February 18, 1932 (47 Stat. 50), as amended (sec. 48-401, D.C. Code. 
1961 ed.), is amended by striking from the second sentence "clerk of 
the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the 
clerk", and inserting in lieu thereof "Recorder of Deeds of the District 
of Columbia and the Recorder"; and by striking the third sentence 
and inserting in lieu thereof "A certified copy of the drawing may be 
obtained upon the payment of $1 for each certification.". 
43 Stat. 180. 
34 Stat. 1006. 
264 
PUBLIC LAW 89-493-JULY 5, 1966 
[80 STAT. 
SEC. 8. Subsection (a) of section 15-101, District of Columbia 
77 Stat. 522. 
Code, is amended by striking from clause (1) the word "or"; by strik-
ing from clause (2) "District Court—", and inserting in lieu thereof 
"District Court; or"; and by inserting immediately following clause 
(2) the following: 
"(3) civil division of the District of Columbia Court of Gen-
eral Sessions, if the judgment or decree was rendered on or after 
the effective date of this clause—". 
SEC. 9. (a) Subsection (a) of section 15-102, District of Columbia 
Code, is amended by striking from clause (2) the word "and"; by 
striking from clause (3) "forfeited—" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"forfeited;"; and by inserting immediately following clause (3) the 
following: 
" (4) recognizance taken by the criminal division of the District 
of Columbia Court of General Sessions, or judge thereof, from 
the time when it is declared forfeited (if the forfeiture occurred 
on or after the effective date of this clause) ; and 
"(5) judgment or decree rendered in the civil division of the 
District of Columbia Court of General Sessions after the effective 
date of this clause—". 
(b) Subsection (b) of section 15-102, District of Columbia Code, 
is amended by striking "after being forfeited," and inserting in lieu 
thereof "forfeited prior to the effective date of subsection (a) (4),". 
SEC. 10. Subsection (a) of section 15-132, District of Columbia 
Code, is amended by striking "(a) A" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"(a) (1) Except as provided by section 15-101, a"; and by inserting at 
the end the following: 
"(2) A judgment entered on "or after the effective date of this 
paragraph in the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions 
may not be docketed in the Office of the Clerk of the United States 
District Court for the District of Columbia. The provisions of 
this title relating to enforcement of judgments, executions thereon 
and writs and procteedings in aid of execution thereof, are appli-
cable to judgments entered on or after the effective date of this 
paragraph in the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions." 
SEC. 11. Section 15-310, District of Columbia Code, is amended 
by striking from the first sentence "An" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"(a) An"; by striking from the second sentence "It" and inserting in 
lieu thereof "Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this 
section, it"; and by inserting at the end the following: 
"(b) An execution issued on a judgment entered on or after 
the effective date of this subsection in the District of Columbia 
Court of General Sessions may be levied on real estate." 
SEC. 12. Section 15-311, District of Columbia Code, is amended by 
striking from the first sentence "The writ" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"(a) Tne writ"; and by inserting at the end the following: 
"(b) A writ of fieri facias issued from the District of Columbia 
Court of General Sessions upon a judgment entered in that court 
on or after the effective date of this subsection may be levied on 
legal leasehold or freehold estates of the debtor in land." 
SEC. 13. (a) Sections 1288,1290,1291, and 1293 of the Act approved 
March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1392), as amended (sees. 30-106, 30-108, 
30-110, and 30-112, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), are amended by striking 
"United States District Court for the District of Columbia" and insert-
ing in lieu thereof "District of Columbia Court of General Sessions", 
(b) Section 1288 of the Act approved March 3,1901 (31 Stat. 1392), 
as amended (sec. 30-106, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is further amended 
by insertina: at the end the following: "The clerk of the District of 
Columbia Court of General Sessions and such deputy clerks of the 
court as may, in writing, be designated by the clerk of the court and 
33 Stat. 297. 
77 Stat. 533. 
80 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 89-493-JULY 5, 1966 
265 
approved by the chief judge, are authorized to celebrate marriages in 
the District of Columbia." 
(c) (1) The fifth paragraph under the heading "Hygiene and Sani- 
Repeals. 
tation in the Public Schools" under the caption 
"HEALTH 
DEPARTMENT" in the first section of the Act entitled "An Act 
making appropriations for the government of the District of Colum-
bia and other activities chargeable in whole or in part against the 
revenues of such District for the fiscal year ending June 30,1930, and 
for other purposes", approved February 25, 1929 (45 Stat. 1285), as 
amended (sec. 30-115, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is repealed. 
(2) The clerk of the United States District Court for the District 
of Columbia shall transfer all marriage records in his custody (includ-
ing marriage records transferred from the health department) to the 
clerk of the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions. 
(d)(1) Paragraphs (11), (12), (13), and (14) of section 15-706(e) 
of the District of Columbia Code are repealed. 
(2) Chapter 7, title 15, District of Columbia Code, is amended by 
inserting at the end the following : 
*
*
§ 15-717. Marriage license and related fees 
"For each marriage license, the fee shall be $2; for each certified 
copy of a marriage license return, the fee shall be $1; for each certified 
copy of application for marriage license the fee shall be $1; and for 
registering authorizations to perform marriages and issuing certificate, 
the fee shall be $1. 
"The District of Columbia Court of General Sessions may, by rule 
of court, increase or decrease fees provided by this section," 
(3) The analysis of chapter 7 of title 15 preceding section 15-701 of 
the District of Columbia Code is amended by inserting at the end: 
"15-717. Marriage license and related fees." 
SEC. 14. Subsection (e) of section 4 of the Act entitled "An Act to 
provide for unemployment compensation in the District of Columbia, 
authorize appropriations, and for other purposes", approved August 
28, 1935 (49 Stat. 946), as added by the Act approved June 4, 1943 
(57 Stat. 100,109,110), as amended (sec. 46-304, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), 
is amended by striking from the second and from the penultimate sen-
tences "clerk of the United States District Court for" and inserting in 
lieu thereof "Recorder of Deeds of". 
SEC. 15. (a) Sections 1238, 1239, and 1241 of the Act approved 
March 3,1901 (31 Stat. 1384,1385), as amended (sees. 38-102, 38-103, 
and 38-105, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), are amended by striking "clerk of 
the United States District Court for" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"Recorder of Deeds of". 
(b) Sections 1238 and 1246 of the Act approved March 3, 1901 (31 
Stat. 1384, 1386), as amended (sees. 38-102 and 38-110, D.C. Code, 
1961 ed.), are amended by striking "clerk" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"Recorder of Deeds". 
(c) In addition to fees otherwise provided for, the Recorder of Deeds 
shall charge and collect the following fees: 
(1) for filing and recording each notice of mechanic's lien, $1; 
(2) for entering release of mechanic's lien, 50 cents for each 
order of lienor; and 
(3) for each undertaking of lienee, 75 cents. 
SEC. 16. The Act entitled "An Act to establish a lien for moneys 
due hospitals for services rendered in cases caused by negligence or 
fault of others and providing for the recording and enforcing of such 
liens", approved June 30, 1939 (53 Stat. 990, 991), as amended (sees. 
38-302 and 38-305, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is amended by striking from 
sections 2 and 5 "clerk of the United States District Court for" and 
inserting in lieu thereof "Recorder of Deeds of"; and by striking 
266 
PUBLIC LAW 89-494-JULY 5, 1966 
[80 
STAT. 
68A Stat. 779. 
26 u s e 6323. 
D.C. Code 45-
711. 
Repeal. 
77 Stat. 532. 
App rop ri at io n. 
Effective date. 
the second sentence of section 5 and inserting in lieu thereof the 
following: "The Recorder of Deeds shall index the same in the name 
of the injured person and shall charge and collect a fee of $1 for 
recording, indexmg, and releasing the lien so filed." 
SEC. 17. (a) Section 6323(a) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1954 is amended to read as follows: 
"(3) 
W I T H RECORDER or DEEDS OF THE DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.— 
In the office of the Recorder of Deeds of the District of Columbia, 
if the property subject to the lien is situated in the District of 
Columbia." 
(b) Section 548a of the Act approved March 3, 1901, as added by 
the Act of April 27, 1945 (59 Stat. 100), is amended by striking "SEC. 
548a." and by inserting in lieu thereof "SEC. 548a. (a)" and by insert-
ing at the end the following new subsection: 
"(b) The Recorder of Deeds shall accept for filing any notice of 
Federal tax lien or any other document affecting such a lien if such 
notice or document is in the form prescribed by the Secretary of the 
Treasury or his delegate and could be filed with the clerk of the 
United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The fee 
for each such filing with the Recorder of Deeds shall be the same as 
the fee charged by the Recorder of Deeds for filing a similar document 
for a private person. The Recorder of Deeds shall bill the District 
Director of Internal Revenue on a monthly basis for fees for docu-
ments filed by such District Director. Any document releasing or 
affecting any notice of Federal tax lien which has been filed with 
the clerk of the United States District Court for the District of 
Columbia prior to the effective date of this Act shall be filed with 
such clerk." 
SEC. 18. Section 6 of title I of the Act entitled "An Act to provide 
revenue for the District of Columbia, and for other purposes", 
approved August 17, 1937 (50 Stat. 673, 674), as amended (sec. 47-
1406, D.C. Code, 1961 ed.), is amended by striking "clerk of the United 
States District Court for", and inserting in lieu thereof "Recorder of 
Deeds of"; and by striking "said court" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"the United States District Court for the District of Columbia." 
SEC. 19. Paragraphs 16 and 18 of section 15-706 (e), District of 
Columbia Code, are repealed. 
SEC. 20. Appropriations to carry out the purposes of this Act are 
authorized. 
SEC. 21. This Act shall take effect on the first day of the first month 
which is at least ninety days after the date of approval of this Act. 
Approved July 5, 1966. 
July 5, 1966 
[H. R. 11439] 
Public Law 89-494 
AN ACT 
To provide for an increase in the annuities payable from the District of Colum-
bia teachers' retirement and annuity fund, to revise the method of determin-
ing the cost-of-living increases in such annuities, and for other purposes. 
D.C. 
Teachers, annu-
ities increase. 
76 Stat. 1236. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That sections 21 and 
22 of the Act entitled "An Act for the retirement of public school 
teachers in the District of Columbia", approved August 7, 1946 (D.C. 
Code, sees. 31-739a—31-739b), are amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 21. (a) Effective December 1,1965, each annuity payable from 
the fund which has a commencing date not later than December 30, 
1965, shall be increased hy (1) the per centum rise in the price index,