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Judge Kristin Ballinger - Superior Court
Courtroom Number: 3G (MRJC)
Bailiff: Cassie Fontenot
Department: 2
Assignment: General Trials
For the fastest response, please contact the bailiff by email. Judge Ballinger intends to decide motions within one judicial day of the noting date. If an order has not been entered three judicial days after the noting date, please contact her bailiff.
Biographies
Judge Kristin Ballinger
Judge Ballinger is a graduate of Whitman College and the Columbia University School of Law. After serving as a law clerk to a federal judge, the bulk of her practice involved representing people, businesses, and government entities in complex civil cases. Judge Ballinger was named a Ranked Practitioner by Chambers & Partners, designated a Fellow with the American Bar Association, recognized in U.S. News Best Lawyers, and selected to the Washington State Super Lawyers list.
Judge Ballinger is a Trustee of the Superior Court Judges’ Association and of the King County Bar Foundation and serves on the Court’s Executive and Local Rules committees.
Bailiff Cassie Fontenot
Upon appointment to the bench, Judge Ballinger selected Ms. Fontenot as bailiff from a field of exceptionally qualified candidates. Before serving as a bailiff, Ms. Fontenot worked in the clerk’s office. Ms. Fontenot graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
Requests
Prior to appearing in Judge Ballinger's Court for hearings or trial
Please review the Rules for Conduct prior to appearing in Judge Ballinger’s courtroom.
Court conferences
Early judicial involvement in discovery can often avoid disputes and expedite resolution of disputes when they arise.
Judge Ballinger encourages the parties to request a conference under CR 16 or CR 26(f) to address issues that promote the efficient resolution of the case such as the scope and timing of discovery, limitations of discovery requests and depositions, procedures and protocols for electronic discovery, or expert witness disclosures and discovery.
If a dispute arises and all parties agree, Judge Ballinger may be able to resolve the dispute promptly at a conference without the necessity of a formal motion.
Please email ballinger.court@kingcounty.gov to arrange a conference. The email should—as succinctly and non-argumentatively as possible—describe the nature of the issue or dispute. You must copy all parties on any email to the court.
Weddings
Congratulations! Judge Ballinger is available to perform weddings after court hours (including weekends) at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, the Clark Children and Family Justice Center in Seattle, and elsewhere. Please email her bailiff at ballinger.court@kingcounty.gov to schedule an appointment.