Opinion ID: 2106725
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Motion for Certification to the Civil Division

Text: Second, on June 12, 1992, Williams filed a motion to certify the Seller's action against him as well as his counterclaim to the Civil Division under Super.Ct.Civ.R. 40-I and R. 40-II. [7] Williams' motion was based upon his plea of title and his breach of contract counterclaim. Judge Kessler denied the motion on June 19, 1992, after Williams failed to show up for a hearing. In a motion for reconsideration, filed on July 1, 1992, Williams claimed that he did not appear because he thought his case already had been certified to the Civil Division. [8] During the July 14, 1992 proceeding, Judge Burnett inquired whether the case was properly in the Landlord & Tenant Branch, and whether there had been a ruling on the merits with respect to the issue. Counsel for the Seller replied that Williams was a tenant by sufferance because he no longer has a right to possession and we're moving to evict him. She further stated that Judge Kessler's ruling denying certification to the Civil Division was on the merits, and if not, the matter should be returned to Judge Kessler. Williams stated that he had an installment land contract and the matter should not be in the Landlord & Tenant Branch. Apparently there was no further consideration of Williams' motion to certify the case to the Civil Actions Branch until the conclusion of the bench trial before Judge Rufus King. The motion was denied on October 6, 1992.