District of Columbia Court of Appeals June 5, 1981, 80-905, 80-1056 (White v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority)

FERREN, Associate Judge:

The sole question presented in these consolidated appeals is whether the trial court abused its discretion in dismissing appellant’s lawsuits for failure to prosecute. Because a substantial reason for appellant’s inability to proceed to trial was the court’s erroneous denial of appellant’s motion to compel discovery, the court abused its discretion in dismissing the cases.