Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens Counties Superior Court Electronic Filing Rules

CRITICAL

Negotiable instruments, exhibits, and trial notebooks are examples of items that must not be filed in the court file on paper or electronically.

Comment: Negotiable instruments, exhibits, and trial notebooks are examples of items that are not to be filed in the court file either in paper form or by e-filing.

CRITICAL

An attorney with an approved e-filing waiver must file a copy of the waiver in each case in which the attorney files documents.

Attorneys who receive an approved waiver shall file a copy of the waiver in each case in which they file documents.

CRITICAL

An attorney who files a paper document without an approved waiver risks having the Clerk reject it and return it for e-filing.

If an attorney files a document in paper form and does not have an approved waiver from mandatory eFiling, the Clerk is authorized to reject the document and return it to the attorney for eFiling.

CRITICAL

Beginning January 1, 2027, an attorney unable to e-file may request a waiver by showing good cause and explaining the need to file paper documents in that case.

Effective January 1, 2027, if an attorney is unable to e-file documents, the attorney may request a waiver. The attorney must make a showing of good cause and explain why the attorney needs to file paper documents in that particular case. The Clerk will make waiver request forms available, consider each

CRITICAL

Beginning January 1, 2027, attorneys in Stevens County civil cases must e-file all documents using the e-filing application, subject to exceptions provided by the rule.

Effective January 1, 2027, attorneys shall electronically file (e-file) all documents using the e-filing application unless this rule provides otherwise.

CRITICAL

The listed documents must be filed on paper and must not be e-filed; electronic wills are excluded from the original-paper-wills restriction.

The following documents must be filed in paper form and not e-filed: • Original paper wills and codicils (excluding electronic wills), including “Will only”; • New probate cases that include original paper wills or codicils; • Certified records of proceedings for purposes of appeal; • Interpleader or Surplus Funds Petitions; • Documents presented for filing during a court hearing or trial; • Documents submitted for in-camera review pursuant to GR 15; • New cases or fee-based documents filed with an Order to Waive Fees or in accordance with GR 34; • New case filings when there is a request for immediate relief; • Affidavits for Writs for Garnishment and Writs of Execution.

WARNING

Documents from governments or other courts under official seal, including adoption documents, may be e-filed if the filer retains the original through any appeal and until at least 60 days after the case ends, and presents it to the court on request; hearing or trial exhibits are excluded.

Documents from governments or other courts under official seal including adoption documents. If filed electronically, the filing party must retain the original document during the pendency of any appeal and until at least sixty (60) days after completion of the instant case and shall present the original document to the court if requested to do so. This does not include documents that are or will be submitted as an exhibit in a hearing or trial.

INFO

Applies to

Routine ex parte or stipulated matter

Routine ex parte or stipulated matters may be mailed to the Superior Court Clerk.

Routine ex parte or stipulated matters may be mailed to the Superior Court Clerk.

INFO

Applies to

Ex parte docket documents

Documents for the Ex Parte Docket may be submitted by email to the designated address.

Arrangements to appear on the Ex Parte Docket, in person or via Webex, and the submission of documents, may be accomplished by sending an e-mail to exparte@stevenscountywa.gov.

INFO

Self-represented parties are not required to e-file but may choose to do so.

Self-represented parties are not required to e-file but may do so.