Opinion ID: 673802
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Pendent Claims under District of Columbia Law

Text: 31 The tester plaintiffs have also asserted a cause of action under the District of Columbia's Human Rights Act. That statute contains a provision similar to Sec. 2000e-2(b), see D.C.Code Sec. 1-2512(a)(2), and it goes further than the original Title VII by authorizing suits for damages as well as for equitable relief, see id. Sec. 1-2556. But the testers were able to bring their claim under this statute to federal court only because it was pendent to their federal claims. See 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1367(a). As a result, even if the plaintiffs have a cause of action for damages under D.C. law, it will be within the district court's discretion whether or not to dismiss this claim if it dismisses both their federal claims. See id. Sec. 1367(c)(3); cf. Clifton Terrace Assocs. v. United Technologies Corp., 929 F.2d 714, 723 (D.C.Cir.1991).