Island County Superior Court Document Format Requirements

CRITICAL

Motions and orders must be submitted as separate documents.

(e) Motions and Orders to be Separate

CRITICAL

Applies to

Exhibits

Exhibit submissions must be unbound paper or hard copies without hole punches, with a slip sheet between each exhibit identifying its intended number.

The submission shall be a paper or “hard copy,” unbound and without hole punches; and with slip sheets between each exhibit indicating the intended exhibit number.

CRITICAL

An objection to the form or content of a proposed order or judgment must describe the objection in detail and in writing.

Any counsel or party (if unrepresented), who objects to the form or content of a proposed order or judgment being presented as required by these rules, shall describe any such objection in detail and in writing.

CRITICAL

A party submitting a larger exhibit must also provide the Clerk with an 8.5 x 11-inch version.

Counsel and self -represented parties shall also provide the Clerk with an 8.5 x11- inch version of any larger exhibit.

CRITICAL

Photocopies, screenshots, and photographs incorporated into filed documents must be legible and sufficiently clear to reproduce by scanning or copying.

Photocopies, screenshots, or photographs that are incorporated into original documents that are filed with the Court – such as exhibits to a declaration -- shall be legible and of sufficient resolution to allow legible replication by scanning or copying. Particular care must be taken with photographs or other documents that often do not reproduce clearly.

CRITICAL

A photograph of a page of an original document may not be used as the original document.

Use of a photograph of a page of an original document – as, for example, the use of a photograph of a signature page taken with a cellphone by the signer as an original document’s signature page – often results in illegibility and is therefore prohibited.

CRITICAL

If the parties stipulate to exhibit admissibility, they must do so in writing or on the record on the first day of trial.

If the parties stipulate to the admissibility of exhibits, they shall do so in writing or on the record the first day of trial.

CRITICAL

The exhibit list must be prepared in hard copy and in electronic MS Word or a compatible format.

(B) Each set of exhibits shall be submitted to the Clerk with an exhibit list in hard copy and an electronic MS Word (or compatible) version prepared by the submitting party.

CRITICAL

Photos of documents may not be used as originals.

(3) Use of Photos of Documents as Originals Prohibited

CRITICAL

Pleadings and other papers submitted to the Clerk for filing must comply with GR 14.

Pleadings and other papers submitted for filing with the Clerk shall conform to the provisions of GR 14.

CRITICAL

Tabs and separators used within a document must be placed only at the bottom of the page.

Any tabs or separators used within documents shall be placed at the bottom of the page only.

CRITICAL

Complaints or grievances involving a guardian ad litem or Court Visitor must be written and submitted to the Court Administrator.

All complaints or grievances made by or against a guardian ad litem/Court Visitor shall be in writing and shall be submitted to the Court Administrator.

CRITICAL

Requests for judicial administrative records must be submitted in writing to the Public Records Officer.

To ensure its compliance with GR 31.1 and this policy, the Court has designated its Court Administrator as the Court’s Public Records Officer and requires that requests for judicial administrative records be submitted to its Public Records Officer in writing.

CRITICAL

Until minor-guardianship forms are developed for child support and relocation, parties must use family law forms and child support worksheets and submit the documentation required for those family law issues.

Until forms are developed for child support and relocation within minor guardianships, parties shall use the family law forms and child support worksheets, and submit all documentation as required for family law cases related to those issues.

CRITICAL

The text of all briefs, legal memoranda, motions, declarations and affidavits shall be typed, double spaced, or legibly hand printed. Print in any format must appear as twelve point or larger type in the following fonts or their equivalent: Times New Roman, Courier, CG Times, Arial, Century, and Century Schoolbook.

The text of all briefs, legal memoranda, motions, declarations and affidavits shall be typed, double spaced, or legibly hand printed. Print in any format must appear as twelve point or larger type in the following fonts or their equivalent: Times New Roman, Courier, CG Times, Arial, Century, and Century Schoolbook.

CRITICAL

Video or audio exhibits must be submitted on a clean, dedicated flash drive with one item per device, and both the device and file must carry the same identifying information as the exhibit list.

Digital/electronic information (i.e., video or audio files, not electronic copies of documents) offered as exhibits must be submitted on a clean/empty flash drive or “thumb drive” used only for this purpose, with only one file or item per device. Both the device and the file must be clearly marked using the same identifying information as listed on the exhibit list prepared by the offering party.

CRITICAL

Exhibit submissions to the Clerk must be hard copies, unbound, without hole punches, and separated by slip sheets showing the intended exhibit numbers.

(A) The submission shall be a paper or “hard copy,” unbound and without hole punches; and with slip sheets between each exhibit indicating the intended exhibit number.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Documents served under this rule must be PDFs, with one pleading or document per file, legible resolution, and a filename that adequately identifies the document.

Each document served under this rule shall be in “portable document format” (PDF). Each PDF file shall contain only one pleading or other document, including appendices. Each PDF file shall be of sufficient resolution and clarity that it is legible on ordinary digital devices and when printed on paper. Each PDF file shall be named to adequately identify the specific pleading or document it contains. (For example: “Second Motion for Summary Judgment.pdf” is adequate. “Motion.pdf” is not adequate.)

CRITICAL

A reply must be in writing.

Any reply from the presenting counsel or party shall be in writing and filed with the Court and served on all other counsel or parties no later than 4:30 p.m. one (1) judicial day prior to the presentation hearing.

CRITICAL

Applies to

Exhibit list

The exhibit list must use the Clerk's form, available on the Clerk's webpage or upon request.

The exhibit list shall be prepared on the Clerk's form, as available on the Clerk's webpage or on request.

CRITICAL

Court documents served on opposing parties must match the filed original’s signatures, dates, and other information; e-filed documents must reflect signatures and the electronic submission date and time.

Court documents served on opposing parties shall be fully conformed as to signatures, dates signed, date filed, and all other information as it appears on the original once it is filed. If a court document is e-filed , the document shall be conformed to reflect signatures and the date and time of electronic submission.

CRITICAL

Declarations, affidavits, and factual statements in mandatory family law forms must comply with GR 14 and LCR 10(d); declaration and affidavit pages must be sequentially numbered at the bottom, and exhibits labeled by letter or number.

(7) Format. All declarations and affidavits and factual statements in mandatory family law forms must comply with GR 14 (format for pleadings and other papers) and LCR 10(d). Pages in declarations or affidavits shall be sequentially numbered at the bottom of the page and exhibits shall be labeled by exhibit letter or number.

WARNING

Applies to

Exhibits

State exhibits are assigned numbers 1–100 and defendant exhibits 101–200, unless the parties stipulate otherwise or the Court orders otherwise.

The State as plaintiff shall be pre-assigned exhibit numbers 1-100, and the defendant shall be pre-assigned numbers 101-200 unless otherwise stipulated by the parties or ordered by the Court.

WARNING

Minor guardianship matters must use the standard Washington Courts forms unless the County has adopted and posted an alternate form; parties may develop a form when no mandatory or County form exists for a necessary purpose.

Standard forms available from the Washington Courts website (Washington State Courts - Court Forms - All forms Related to Guardianships, Conservatorships, or Other Protective Arrangements) shall be used in matters involving Minor Guardianships unless Island County Superior Court has adopted and posted an alternate form. If no mandatory form or Island County Superior Court form exists for a necessary purpose, the parties may develop their own form.

WARNING

When preparing exhibits, counsel and self-represented parties should account for the Clerk’s 1″ by 3″ label in the lower right corner.

When preparing exhibits for submission, counsel and self-represented parties should consider that the Clerk will mark them in the lower right corner with a 1″ by 3″ label.

WARNING

The Notice of Readiness must substantially follow the form shown on the Superior Court website.

The Notice of Readiness shall be in substantially the same form as shown on the Superior Court website.

INFO

A filed death certificate may be neither an original nor a certified copy.

The death certificate need not be an original or a certified copy.