Federal Court GuidesLocal Counsel › Rule LCvR 83.2(c)
For counsel, from counsel

The rule, read closely so you don't have to

Local Civil Rule LCvR 83.2(c) governs who appears pro hac vice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It is short, specific, and enforced as written — here is the working translation.

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The rule's architecture

Fine print that bites

Three recurring stumbles: the lookback — repeated admissions within the window invite the court to ask why full admission hasn't happened, and the declaration must count honestly; the discipline question — 'pending' matters count and omissions surface at the worst times; and the local-address era rules — the requirements here have evolved, and stale form-files recite versions of the rule that no longer exist. The current text governs; the motion gets drafted from it, not from memory. One more time for the file: the rule is LCvR 83.2(c) — citations to a nonexistent subsection are the tell of a template gone stale.

Questions people actually ask

Where do I read the current rule text?

The court publishes its local rules on the D.D.C. website — always the current compilation, which controls over any summary including this one.

Can government lawyers appear without PHV?

The rules carve distinct paths for certain government attorneys — different subsection, different requirements. Check the lane before papering the wrong motion.

What if my declaration has something awkward in it?

Disclose and contextualize — sponsors and courts handle candor far better than surprise. The pre-filing conversation about awkward entries is confidential and standard.