Thurston County Superior Court, Washington Document Format Requirements

CRITICAL

Proposed jury instructions must be typed and double-spaced, with each instruction on its own letter-size sheet.

Proposed jury instructions shall be typed and double spaced, with each instruction on a separate letter size sheet of paper.

CRITICAL

Proposed jury instructions must be typed, double-spaced, and each instruction must be on a separate letter-size sheet.

shall be typed and double spaced, and each proposed jury instruction shall be on a separate letter- size sheet of paper.

CRITICAL

The award must use the form prescribed by the court.

The award shall be prepared on the form prescribed by the court.

CRITICAL

Pleadings subject to a mandatory local form must use a form substantially similar to it.

The court has local forms for pleadings. Some forms are mandatory, in which case pleadings must be filed in a form substantially similar to the mandatory form.

CRITICAL

Brief text must be double-spaced in print, at least 12-point type, and use Times New Roman, Courier, CG Times, Arial, or an equivalent font.

The text of any brief must appear double spaced in print as twelve point or larger type in the following fonts or their equivalent: Times New Roman, Courier, CG Times, or Arial.

CRITICAL

Judge’s copies containing attachments or exhibits that cannot be stapled must be placed in a three-ring binder with identifying tabs.

Judge’s copies that contain attachments and exhibits that cannot be secured with a staple shall be placed in a three-ring binder, with tabs designating the attachments and exhibits.

CRITICALCivil cases

Information provided to the court must be submitted in writing.

Any information that you want to provide to the court must be in writing.

CRITICAL

Format

PDF

Unless the court orders otherwise, administrative records must be submitted as PDF files on a CD or USB drive, consecutively Bates-paginated in chronological order by agency filing date.

Unless the court orders otherwise, administrative records shall be submitted as one or more PDF files on a CD or USB drive, consecutively paginated with Bates numbers in chronological order, according to the agency filing date.

CRITICAL

Motion-supporting evidence must be submitted as paper or electronic documents in a standard format; other media or non-conforming formats require prior court approval and otherwise will not be accepted for filing.

All evidence supporting motions shall be in the form of documents (paper or electronic in a standard format) that may be filed in the clerk’s electronic case filing system unless the party has received prior approval from the court to submit evidence in other media, including video or audio recordings. Unless prior approval is obtained, the clerk shall not accept for filing materials submitted in a non- conforming format.

CRITICAL

Judge’s copies with multiple attachments and exhibits that cannot be stapled must be tabbed and placed in a binder.

Judge's copies with multiple attachments and exhibits that cannot be secured with a staple must be tabbed and in a binder.

CRITICAL

Each party must use the required Witness List form for its expected-witness list.

(B) Each party shall provide to the other party and file with the clerk all of their expected witnesses on the required Witness List form by the date set in the Case Schedule Order.

CRITICAL

The sample GAL report must be double spaced.

(5) provide a sample GAL report of three to five pages in length, double spaced, based on a fact scenario to be provided by the GAL Coordinator;

CRITICAL

(D) For family law cases, no less than 30 days prior to the first day of the week trial is scheduled to commence, each party shall file, serve on the other party, and provide to court administration a Pre-Trial Report on the prescribed form.

(D) For family law cases, no less than 30 days prior to the first day of the week trial is scheduled to commence, each party shall file, serve on the other party, and provide to court administration a Pre-Trial Report on the prescribed form.

CRITICAL

Exhibits containing blood borne pathogens, drugs, firearms, or dangerous weapons must be properly packaged and labeled before acceptance, following the specified category-specific packaging, labeling, and safety requirements.

Exhibits containing blood borne pathogens, drugs, firearms, or dangerous weapons shall be properly packaged and labeled before acceptance by the court. To meet packaging and labeling requirements, exhibits shall conform to the following criteria when presented: (A) Blood borne pathogens shall be packaged in sturdy plastic containers. If contained in a vial or hypodermic, each shall be placed in an individual sturdy plastic container. All items shall be labeled to identify the contents as potentially biologically hazardous material. (B) Drugs shall be placed in sealed containers to prevent or reduce emissions from the container. Plainly visible labels shall identify the contents. (C) Firearms shall be unloaded, any breech mechanism or cylinder shall be open, and a secured trigger lock shall be in place. (D) Dangerous weapons shall have any sharp or pointed portions sheathed in a manner to prevent injury or contact with the sharp or pointed portions.

CRITICAL

A judge’s copy must place the hearing information in substantially the specified format at the top left of its first page.

Each judge’s copy of a pleading shall be identified as the judge’s copy and shall identify the date, time, and the judge before whom or the calendar on which the matter is scheduled to be heard, in substantially the following format in the top, left-hand corner of the first page. If the document does not meet these guidelines, it may not be delivered to the judge for consideration: Hearing date: Hearing time: Judge/Calendar:

CRITICAL

Administrative-record volumes may not exceed 50 MB each.

The record shall be separated into volumes not to exceed 50 MB, and the first volume shall include a table of contents of the administrative record.

CRITICAL

Electronically filed pleadings must follow the applicable formatting rules for paper pleadings, including GR 14.

All electronically filed pleadings shall be formatted in accordance with the applicable rules governing formatting of paper pleadings, including GR 14.

CRITICAL

Format

PAPER

If filed in hard copy format, the records shall be presented in three-ring binders not to exceed 500 pages each and will otherwise be formatted in a manner similar to electronic records.

If filed in hard copy format, the records shall be presented in three-ring binders not to exceed 500 pages each and will otherwise be formatted in a manner similar to electronic records.

CRITICAL

Judge’s copies with multiple attachments and exhibits that cannot be stapled must be tabbed and placed in a binder.

Judge’s copies with multiple attachments and exhibits that cannot be secured with a staple must be tabbed and in a binder.

CRITICAL

Declarations and affidavits must be legible, printed or typed in black or dark blue ink on scan-suitable paper, one-sided, and free of footnotes; typed declarations and affidavits must be double-spaced.

(1) Document Requirements. All declarations and affidavits filed shall be legible and printed or typewritten in black or dark blue ink on paper suitable for scanning. Declarations and affidavits shall be one-sided only. Typed declarations and affidavits shall be double-spaced. Parties shall not use footnotes in declarations or affidavits.

CRITICAL

Each judge’s copy must be labeled as such and identify the hearing date, time, and assigned judge or commissioner in the top-left corner of the first page.

(B) Each judge’s copy shall be identified as the judge’s copy and shall identify the date, time, and the judge or commissioner before whom the matter is scheduled to be heard in the top left-hand corner of the first page.

CRITICAL

A statement of arbitrability must use the court-prescribed form; otherwise, the case will not be scheduled for transfer to arbitration.

The statement of arbitrability shall be in the form prescribed by the court. Failure to use the mandatory form will result in the case not being scheduled for transfer to arbitration.

CRITICAL

Emancipation petitions must use the form approved by the Administrative Office of the Court.

Petitions for emancipation shall be made using the form approved by the Administrative Office of the Court and available on the Washington Courts web site.

CRITICAL

Partially redacted records must let the judge read the complete record and distinguish withheld from produced portions; outlines or shaded or colored overlays may be used.

(B) Identification of redactions. Records redacted in part must be presented 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 shaded or colored overlay.

WARNING

An original court record may not be admitted as an exhibit, but a copy may be admitted.

No original court record shall be admitted as an exhibit, but a copy may be admitted.

WARNING

Paper bags alone are not proper packaging, and zip ties are not secure trigger locks.

(E) Paper bags alone will not constitute proper packaging and zip ties are not considered secure trigger locks.

WARNING

The arbitrator information sheet must use the form prescribed by the court.

A person desiring to serve as an arbitrator shall complete an information sheet on the form prescribed by the court.

WARNING

Briefs with multiple attachments and exhibits that cannot be secured with a staple must be tabbed and placed in a binder.

Briefs with multiple attachments and exhibits that cannot be secured with a staple must be tabbed and in a binder.

WARNING

A brief or other material that does not comply with the judge’s-copy guidelines may not be considered.

(D) If the brief or other material does not meet these guidelines, it may not be considered.

WARNING

The oath of office must use the form prescribed by the court.

The oath of office on the form prescribed by the court must be completed and filed prior to an applicant being placed on the panel.

WARNING

The instructions are to be provided as a computer file and as a hardcopy set of printed instructions numbered and with citations.

computer file; and (ii) a hardcopy set of printed instructions numbered and with citations.

WARNING

Rule-revision proposals are preferably submitted as redline edits to the current rules.

It is most helpful to receive proposals in the form of redline edits to current rules.

WARNING

A landline is preferred; if unavailable, a cellular phone must have good reception throughout the call, no background noise, and no ring-back tones.

(3) The preferred method of calling is on a land line number. If a land line is not available the cellular phone must comply with the following: A. there must be good reception during the entire call; B. there must be no background noise during the call; and C. there must be no ring-back tones.

WARNING

Format

PAPER

A party may move for permission to submit an administrative record in hard copy, and the court may order hard-copy filing.

Any party may present a motion to the assigned judge requesting authority to submit the record in hard copy format. The court may also issue an order requiring that the administrative record be filed in hard copy format.

INFO

The exemption basis may appear on the document only if it does not obscure information needed for the court’s review.

(C) Basis for exemption. The basis for the claim of exemption may appear on the document if doing so would not obliterate text or other information necessary for the court’s review.

INFO

The emailed proposed instructions should preferably be in Word for Windows format.

preferably in Word for Windows format

INFO

You should make at least one set of copies for filing, and another for your records.

You should make at least one set of copies for filing, and another for your records.

INFO

For cause shown, the court may allow a copy of a document admitted in evidence to replace the original.

For cause shown, the court may permit a copy of any document admitted in evidence to be substituted for the original.

INFO

Footnotes may be single-spaced in print using type of at least 10 points.

Footnotes may be single spaced in print as ten point or larger type.