Thurston County Superior Court, Washington Page & Word Limits

CRITICAL

Limit

10 pages

Applies to

Complaint

A complaint is limited to ten pages unless the Superior Court Administrator or designee gives prior permission; exhibits and attachments are not limited in length.

The complaint shall not exceed ten pages in length without prior permission for an overlength complaint having been given by the Superior Court Administrator or designee. The complaint may be accompanied by exhibits and attachments without limitation on length.

CRITICAL

Limit

15 pages

Limit

8 pages

Applies to

Brief

For non-dispositive motions, opening and responding briefs are limited to 15 pages and reply briefs to 8 pages; the title sheet, table of contents, and table of authorities are excluded from the count.

Opening and responding briefs for non- dispositive motions shall not exceed fifteen pages. Reply briefs for non-dispositive motions shall not exceed eight pages. For the purpose of determining compliance with this rule, the title sheet, table of contents, and table of authorities are not included.

CRITICAL

Limit

20 pages combined per side

Applies to

Declaration affidavit

Spacing

Double

Declarations and affidavits supporting motions, including replies, and those responding to motions are each limited to 20 pages double-spaced in total; specified exhibits are excluded, related motions and countermotions are counted together subject to the stated separate-limit exception, and authorization to exceed the limit must be obtained before filing on the ex parte calendar with notice.

(A) Absent prior authorization from the court as set forth in (D) below, the entirety of all declarations and affidavits from the parties and any non-expert witnesses in support of motions, including any reply, shall be limited to a sum total of 20 pages double-spaced. The entirety of all declarations and affidavits submitted in response to motions shall be limited to a sum total of 20 pages double-spaced. The court will disregard every page after the first 20 pages if the court has not authorized the party to exceed the page limit. These page limits shall include all motions and countermotions filed in the same family law matter on the same day or that are likely to be heard together. However, a separate page limit will apply to a countermotion requesting additional or different relief than the initiating motion so long as the countermotion and any responses and replies do not address any relief requested in the initiating motion. (B) Exhibits Included in Page Limits. All exhibits that consist of declarations or affidavits will count toward the above page limits, unless listed in (C) below or authorized as set forth in (D). (C) Exhibits Not Included in Page Limits. The following are not included in the 20-page limit: (i) financial declarations and supporting financial documents; (ii) declarations, affidavits, or reports from guardians ad litem and expert witnesses; (iii) copies of declarations or affidavits previously filed for a motion already ruled upon and supplied only as a convenience in lieu of the court file; and (iv) if parties and attorneys quote only the relevant parts of the e-mails, journals, text messages, other written communication, or depositions in the declaration or brief and attach the full version of the e-mails, journals, text messages, other written communication, or depositions as an exhibit for context, the full version of the materials will not count against the page limit if labeled as such for that limited purpose. (D) Authorization. A party seeking authorization to exceed the page limit may do so on the ex parte calendar with notice to opposing counsel or a self-represented party. Opposing counsel or the self-represented party may appear telephonically for the authorization hearing. Authorization shall be required before a party files any documents

CRITICAL

Limit

25 pages

Limit

10 pages

Applies to

Brief

Opening and responding briefs are limited to 25 pages and reply briefs to 10 pages for the specified trials, appeals, review hearings, and motions; the title sheet, table of contents, and table of authorities are excluded from the count.

Opening and responding briefs for trials, appeals from administrative agency rulings, Sexually Violent Predator annual review hearings, and motions to dismiss or for summary judgment shall not exceed 25 pages. Reply briefs for these matters shall not exceed ten pages. For the purpose of determining compliance with this rule, the title sheet, table of contents, and table of authorities are not included.

CRITICAL

Limit

5 pages

Applies to

Sample gal report

The sample GAL report must be between three and five pages long.

(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

Limit

20 pages

Applies to

Layperson declarations

Spacing

Double

A party may present up to five layperson declarations, limited to 20 double-spaced pages.

A party may present up to 5 declarations (limit 20 pages double-spaced) from laypersons who would otherwise be called as witnesses.

CRITICAL

Limit

10 pages

Limit

5 pages

Applies to

Brief

Briefs responding to GAL reports are limited to 10 pages, and reply briefs are limited to 5 pages.

Briefs responding to GAL reports shall not exceed ten pages, and reply briefs shall not exceed five pages.

WARNING

Applies to

Brief

The court may grant a motion to file an over-length brief for compelling reasons.

For compelling reasons, the court may grant a motion to file an over-length brief.