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Hearings - Ex Parte and Probate

Learn more about scheduling and preparing for your hearings in Superior Court.

Scheduling hearings

There are set times for hearings on

  • Unlawful detainer
  • Probate and Guardianship
  • Emergency motions
  • Civil or other motions

Check our Ex Parte Commissioners Calendar (140KB) for current hearing time blocks. Motions set on the incorrect calendar or set at unavailable times will be stricken.

There is a limit on the number of motions on the Ex Parte Calendars. Please visit our Ex Parte Calendar Availability application for hearing availability on the desired date.

Timing

After the desired hearing date has been reserved, file the Notice of Court Date. The Notice of Court Date must be filed into the court file within 24 hours, or your hearing may be stricken. 

Important - for Order to Show Cause hearings, a copy of the email confirming your reserved hearing date must be included with the Ex Parte via the Clerk submission. The Notice of Court Date, motion and supporting documents shall be served on the opposing party according to the timelines set forth by the Local Rules. Generally, matters on the 9:00 AM Unlawful Detainer and 1:30 PM Civil Motions Calendars should be filed and served no later than 9 (nine) court days in advance (see LCR 7). Matters on the 10:30 AM Probate/Guardianship calendar should be filed and served no later than 14 (fourteen) calendar days in advance (see LCR 98.04, 98.14, 98.16, 98.20 and 98.22)

Striking or moving your hearing

If you are the moving party and are striking a motion, please call or email the Ex Parte Coordinator at 206-477-2517 or scexparteorders@kingcounty.gov and provide the cause number, case name, date and time of hearing, and whether you are re-noting the matter and would like working papers to be moved. Please note, the matter will still appear on the Court Calendar and it is the striking party’s responsibility to notify the other parties.

Hearings set by court order cannot be stricken.

Select to join the Ex Parte Zoom meeting

Filing 

Working papers

You must send in working copies of all motion papers. You should use E-Working Copies.

No-fee cases can email working copies

Working papers submitted via email must have SUBJECT: WORKING PAPERS – DATE/TIME OF HEARING – CASE NUMBER AND DESIGNATION (Example: Working Papers – July 6, 2020 at 10:30 am, 20-4-09354-4 KNT) in the subject line or they will not be accepted or forwarded. Working papers should be sent to scexparteorders@kingcounty.gov.

All working copies are to be delivered no later than the date and time they are required to be served on opposing parties and/or filed with the court.

Proposed orders

A proposed order must be attached to the working copies submitted in every case. If you are submitting proposed orders following hearings, email them to scexparteorders@kincounty.gov. Revised orders submitted via email should be submitted no later than 4:00 PM the day of the hearing. Orders submitted via email must have SUBJECT: ORDER AFTER HEARING – CASE NUMBER AND DESIGNATION -DATE/TIME OF HEARING – NAME OF COMMISSIONER/COURTROOM (Example: Order After Hearing – 22-4-0000-3 KNT -02/21/2022 10:30 AM – Commissioner Smith).

If the Court rules in your favor, it may use the proposed order you have provided, amend the order to reflect its ruling or draft its own order altogether. While the Court is not required to use proposed orders provided to it, these help the court know how to rule in your favor. Make sure the order should be specific, stating exactly what relief the order is granting. The proposed Order should be submitted in the form in which the party wishes it to be approved (do not leave blanks or boxes to be filled in).

Confirmations, continuances, and strikes

Confirmations

Confirmations are required only for emergency motion hearings. Non-emergency hearings do not need to be confirmed. To see a list of scheduled hearings for a specific day, visit the Ex Parte and Probate scheduling website.

Continuances

You may submit agreed Stipulation and Order for Continuance Ex Parte via the Clerk before the scheduled hearing date. Cases cannot be continued administratively by staff.

Resetting hearings

Anything being reviewed without a Order must follow the same timelines as the initial date. Parties cannot “re-note” matters for less than the required time without a court order.

Strikes

You must request to strike a hearing at least 1 business day before the scheduled hearing date.

Preferred processes

The case will still show the scheduled event on the docket unless you file a pleading. If working papers have been submitted and/or it is less than 5 days until the scheduled hearing you must notify the department. Email scexparteorders@kingcounty.gov and include

  • Cause number
  • Case name
  • Date and time of hearing
  • Whether you are re-noting the matter and would like working papers to be moved as well

It is your responsibility to properly serve and notify the other party or parties.

If you are submitting a proposed Order Ex Parte via the Clerk instead of scheduled hearing, you should also file a Notice of Intent to Strike Hearing and include a copy with your EPVC submission. Failure to do so may result in the submission being denied in anticipation of it being presented at hearing.

Questions related to the Ex Parte process for scheduling a hearing should be directed to scexparteorders@kingcounty.gov or (206) 477-2517.

 

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