Court Rules

Court-wide rules

Applies court-wide

These 36 rules apply across King County Superior Court. Where this judge's own standing orders above address the same topic, the judge's requirement controls.

Communication

All 14
  • Contact
    Email to chambers

    Counsel/parties must jointly complete the witness examination estimate form and email it to the bailiff at scott.court@kingcounty.gov as soon as possible.

  • Contact
    Email to chambers

    Each courtroom has a designated email address in the form [judge's last name.court]@kingcounty.gov that counsel (or their staff) must use when communicating with court staff by email.

  • Contact
    Email to chambers

    Commissioners' departments have no individual email addresses; the family law, ex parte, and mental health departments each share a single departmental email address.

Formatting

All 8
  • Time estimates on the form must be expressed in tenths of hours and the completed form must be totaled.

  • Trial length estimates must assume a 5-hour trial day and account for witness exams, jury questions in civil cases, opening and closing arguments, voir dire, and motions in limine.

  • Parties may use the court's form or their own form, provided it includes the requested information.

Filing Requirements

All 7
  • Applies to
    Witness examination estimate

    Counsel must confer to determine cross-examination time estimates for each party's witnesses and jointly prepare the form.

  • Applies to
    Witness examination estimate

    Each additional party must create and complete the witness examination information for that party's witnesses.

  • Applies to
    Witness examination estimate

    Failure to complete the form and disclose witnesses may result in exclusion of witnesses or other sanctions.

E-Filing

All 3
  • Applies to
    Witness examination estimate

    The witness examination estimate form must not be filed with the clerk's office; it is submitted to the bailiff by email instead.

  • Applies to
    Working copies of legal pleadings

    Email may not be used to deliver working copies of legal pleadings, including jury instructions, without prior permission of the court.

  • Applies to
    Exhibits

    Exhibits may be submitted digitally or in hardcopy, and the Order from Pretrial Conference in each case specifies which format is ordered.

About Judge John McHale

Judge John McHale sits on the King County Superior Court, Washington's trial court of general jurisdiction for King County.

This judge's procedures are published through the court's general rules.

Common questions about Judge John McHale's rules

Are courtesy copies required for Judge John McHale?

Courtesy copies are required for note of motions. Details: 1 copy, delivery within 48 hours after confirming hearing date. A working copy of the Note for Motion must be provided within 48 hours after confirming a hearing date.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Dispositive Motions and Hearing Requests

Does Judge John McHale require a pre-motion conference or letter before filing a motion?

Judge John McHale's rules set a pre-motion procedure for rule 12. CR 12 motions to dismiss are decided without oral argument and the court will no longer schedule hearings on them, with the LCR 12(d) consideration timeline unchanged.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Dispositive Motions and Hearing Requests

What must be included with email request for dispositive motion hearing filings before Judge John McHale?

The rule requires case number. Email requests for a dispositive motion hearing must include the case name and cause number, all counsel's names/phone numbers/email addresses, and the hearing type with requested date(s) from the available calendar.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Dispositive Motions and Hearing Requests

How may parties contact Judge John McHale's chambers?

Parties may contact Judge John McHale's chambers by email only as allowed by the rule. The rule lists email mchale.court@kingcounty.gov. Hearing date requests must be made by emailing the bailiff at mchale.court@kingcounty.gov.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Dispositive Motions and Hearing Requests

Does Judge John McHale require motion papers to be bundled?

No. The rule prohibits holding covered papers for bundling. Each motion is allotted 1 hour, and cross-motions or additional separately briefed dispositive motions must be scheduled separately — they may not be included as part of a response.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Dispositive Motions and Hearing Requests

When is a filing treated as filed before Judge John McHale?

The rule addresses filing timing, filing status, or cure windows. The Note for Motion must be filed within 48 hours after confirming a hearing date.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Dispositive Motions and Hearing Requests
Complete rules summary for Judge John McHale

CR 12 motions to dismiss are decided without oral argument and the court will no longer schedule hearings on them, with the LCR 12(d) consideration timeline unchanged.

Motions with oral argument — including summary judgment, restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and class certification — are heard on Fridays.

Before contacting the bailiff, parties must select a date from the court's calendar and confirm with all opposing counsel or pro se parties that it works; the court will not schedule the motion unless all parties have confirmed availability.

After confirming all parties' availability, the party must contact the bailiff to confirm the hearing date and must not note the motion until the bailiff sends back confirmation.

Hearing date requests must be made by emailing the bailiff at mchale.court@kingcounty.gov.

The Note for Motion must be filed within 48 hours after confirming a hearing date.

A working copy of the Note for Motion must be provided within 48 hours after confirming a hearing date.

Working copies of papers supporting or opposing a noted motion must be provided no later than the day they are served on the opposing party (LCR 7(b)(4)(F)).

Email requests for a dispositive motion hearing must include the case name and cause number, all counsel's names/phone numbers/email addresses, and the hearing type with requested date(s) from the available calendar.

Each motion is allotted 1 hour, and cross-motions or additional separately briefed dispositive motions must be scheduled separately — they may not be included as part of a response.

Working copies of briefs and accompanying documents must be submitted through e-working copies or a delivery service of the party's choice when they are due to be filed.

A moving party that elects not to proceed with a motion must immediately notify the court to strike the hearing (KCLCR 7(b)(4)(H)).

The court will provide additional hearing time for multi-party cases or complex litigation, and parties must advise the bailiff of the request when scheduling.

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