Mason County Superior Court Document Format Requirements

CRITICAL

A Statement of Arbitrability must use the form prescribed by the Court.

When any party determines that the case is ready for trial and that the case is subject to mandatory arbitration, such party shall file and serve a Statement of Arbitrability on the form prescribed by the Court.

CRITICAL

A record claimed entirely exempt must be clearly marked as exempt or withheld on its first page.

If a record is claimed entirely exempt, it must be clearly designated as exempt or withheld on the first page of the document for in camera review.

CRITICAL

Motions and attachments to pleadings and other papers filed with the clerk must comply with GR 14’s format requirements.

The format requirements of GR 14 shall apply to motions and attachments to pleadings and other papers filed with the clerk.

CRITICAL

A Response to the Statement of Arbitrability must use the form prescribed by the Court.

Any party disagreeing with the Statement of Arbitrability shall, within ten (10) days after the Statement of Arbitrability has been served, file and serve a Response to the Statement of Arbitrability on the form prescribed by the Court.

CRITICAL

Records submitted for in camera review must have unique identifiers, and their numbering system and page-number placement must be uniform.

Records for in camera review must have a unique identifying number, such as a Bates number. The system for numbering and the placement of page numbers must be uniform for all records.

CRITICAL

Format

PAPER

To make recorded information part of the permanent court record, the filing party must transcribe it and file it as a paper document.

To make such recorded information part of the permanent court record, it must be transcribed by the filing party and filed as a document in paper format.

CRITICAL

The Committee’s grievance review is limited to written materials, and oral testimony and argument are prohibited.

The Committee shall consider written materials only, including the court file. No oral testimony or argument shall be allowed.

CRITICAL

Partially redacted records must be presented so the judge can read the full record and immediately distinguish redacted portions from produced portions; outlining or a lightly shaded or colored overlay are examples.

Records redacted in part must be submitted to the judge in a manner that will permit the judge to read the entire record and immediately understand which parts were withheld by redaction and which parts were produced. For example, the redactions may be outlined or indicated with a lightly shaded or colored overlay.

CRITICAL

An award must be prepared using the form prescribed by the Court.

(a) Form. The award shall be prepared on the form prescribed by the Court.

CRITICAL

Pleadings, motions, and supporting documents must use applicable mandatory forms and comply with GR 14 and GR 31(e); typed documents require at least 12-point type, and all documents must be single-sided and double-spaced, with handwritten documents legible and in black or dark blue ink.

All pleadings, motions and supporting documents shall use mandatory forms where applicable, follow the format required by GR 14 and meet the requirements of GR 31(e). If typed or computer printed, documents shall be in 12 point or larger type, single-sided and double-spaced. If handwritten, documents shall be single-sided, double-spaced and written legibly using black or dark blue ink. Illegible documents will not be considered.

CRITICAL

The summary-judgment notice for a pro se litigant must use a court-approved form available on the court’s website.

This notice shall be on a form approved by the court and available on the court’s website.

WARNING

The clerk has the authority to reject filings that are not presented in the proper form required by rules or practices pursuant to CR 5(e) and GR 14. The clerk may reject any document filed with a sealed or confidential coversheet that does not use the pattern form developed by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), does not follow the AOC Style and Format Rules, fails to identify the coversheet as a GR 22 coversheet, or is identified or stamped as a sealed or confidential document, but cannot be sealed.

The clerk has the authority to reject filings that are not presented in the proper form required by rules or practices pursuant to CR 5(e) and GR 14. The clerk may reject any document filed with a sealed or confidential coversheet that does not use the pattern form developed by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), does not follow the AOC Style and Format Rules, fails to identify the coversheet as a GR 22 coversheet, or is identified or stamped as a sealed or confidential document, but cannot be sealed.