# District of Columbia — Anti-SLAPP special motion deadlines, fee-shifting and discovery stay by state

For District of Columbia, deadline to file the motion is A party may file a special motion to dismiss any claim arising from an act in furtherance of the right of advocacy on issues of public interest within 45 days after service of the claim; attorney's fees for the prevailing party is The court may award a moving party who prevails, in whole or in part, on a motion brought under § 16-5502 or § 16-5503 the costs of litigation, including reasonable attorney fees; effect on discovery is Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, upon the filing of a special motion to dismiss, discovery proceedings on the claim shall be stayed until the motion has been disposed of; statute is D.C. Code §§ 16-5502, 16-5504, recorded from its source on 2026-09-02.

- **State:** District of Columbia _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Deadline to file the motion:** A party may file a special motion to dismiss any claim arising from an act in furtherance of the right of advocacy on issues of public interest within 45 days after service of the claim. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Attorney's fees for the prevailing party:** The court may award a moving party who prevails, in whole or in part, on a motion brought under § 16-5502 or § 16-5503 the costs of litigation, including reasonable attorney fees. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Effect on discovery:** Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, upon the filing of a special motion to dismiss, discovery proceedings on the claim shall be stayed until the motion has been disposed of. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Statute:** D.C. Code §§ 16-5502, 16-5504 _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> A party may file a special motion to dismiss any claim arising from an act in furtherance of the right of advocacy on issues of public interest within 45 days after service of the claim.

## Where each value comes from

This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.

### Deadline to file the motion

> A party may file a special motion to dismiss any claim arising from an act in furtherance of the right of advocacy on issues of public interest within 45 days after service of the claim.

### Attorney's fees for the prevailing party

> The court may award a moving party who prevails, in whole or in part, on a motion brought under § 16-5502 or § 16-5503 the costs of litigation, including reasonable attorney fees.

### Effect on discovery

> Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, upon the filing of a special motion to dismiss, discovery proceedings on the claim shall be stayed until the motion has been disposed of.

## Source

- https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-5502
- https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-5504

Last verified: 2026-09-02. Review by: 2027-09-02.
Part of [Anti-SLAPP special motion deadlines, fee-shifting and discovery stay by state](https://referencesource.org/anti-slapp-motion-provisions-by-state/).