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 Todd D. Tinker

Judge Todd D. Tinker serves on the King County Superior Court, Washington's trial court of general jurisdiction for King County. The court handles a broad range of civil and criminal matters.

The judge's published procedures are available in a document titled 'tinker'.

Common questions about Judge Todd D. Tinker's rules

Does Judge Todd D. Tinker require a pre-motion conference or letter before filing a motion?

Yes. A pre-motion letter is required for dispositive. Before noting a dispositive motion for oral argument, parties must email the Court to request a hearing date after first coordinating available dates with opposing counsel, and should request dates well in advance.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Dispositive Motions, Obtaining Hearing Date

What formatting rules apply to filings before Judge Todd D. Tinker?

Judge Todd D. Tinker's formatting rule includes file format docx. Proposed orders, stipulated proposed orders, and working papers must be submitted in Word format.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Proposed Orders, Stipulated Orders, and Working Papers

What must be included with dispositive motion hearing date request email filings before Judge Todd D. Tinker?

The rule requires caption and case number. Hearing date request emails must copy all opposing counsel and include the case number and caption in the subject line, the nature of the motion, requested date(s), and whether additional hearing time is requested with a brief explanation.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Dispositive Motions, Obtaining Hearing Date

What must be included with working papers filings before Judge Todd D. Tinker?

The rule identifies required filing content or certificates. To request oral argument on a non-dispositive motion, include 'Oral Argument Requested' in the upper right-hand corner of the working papers.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Non-dispositive civil motions

How may parties contact Judge Todd D. Tinker's chambers?

Parties may contact Judge Todd D. Tinker's chambers by email only as allowed by the rule. The rule lists email tinker.court@kingcounty.gov. Parties must use email (with all parties/counsel included) for scheduling and administrative matters, must not use email for substantive case discussion, and violations may result in sanctions.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Communication with the Courts

Is electronic filing required before Judge Todd D. Tinker?

Yes. Electronic filing is required for the covered filings. Proposed orders, stipulated proposed orders, and working papers must be submitted through the King County Superior Court e-working papers portal or delivered to the judges' mailroom (Room C-203), and must never be emailed to the Court.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Proposed Orders, Stipulated Orders, and Working Papers

What rule applies to service for response to motion for revision before Judge Todd D. Tinker?

The rule addresses service method, recipient, or timing requirements. Details: recipient: the opposing party. The non-moving party should file, serve, and provide a response to the Motion for Revision to the Court by the local-rule deadline.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Motions for Revision
Complete rules summary for Judge Todd D. Tinker

Parties must use email (with all parties/counsel included) for scheduling and administrative matters, must not use email for substantive case discussion, and violations may result in sanctions.

Parties must advise the Court immediately about motions or hearings that need to be continued or stricken and when cases are settled.

Proposed orders, stipulated proposed orders, and working papers must be submitted through the King County Superior Court e-working papers portal or delivered to the judges' mailroom (Room C-203), and must never be emailed to the Court.

Proposed orders, stipulated proposed orders, and working papers must be submitted in Word format.

The Court emails signed orders to counsel/parties who have provided email addresses to the Court.

Before noting a dispositive motion for oral argument, parties must email the Court to request a hearing date after first coordinating available dates with opposing counsel, and should request dates well in advance.

Hearing date request emails must copy all opposing counsel and include the case number and caption in the subject line, the nature of the motion, requested date(s), and whether additional hearing time is requested with a brief explanation.

To request oral argument on a non-dispositive motion, include 'Oral Argument Requested' in the upper right-hand corner of the working papers.

Motions for Revision are decided without oral argument; the moving party must re-note the motion per LCR 7 including the index/list of submissions considered by the Commissioner and hard copies or e-working copies of those documents.

The non-moving party should file, serve, and provide a response to the Motion for Revision to the Court by the local-rule deadline.

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