Lincoln County District Court Local Rules

Lincoln County District Court — Local Court Rules

sha256 f13741d16e8d2b253d4203f2e772d429… · retrieved 7/17/2026, 2:27:28 PM · courts.wa.gov local-rules publication — the court's own book; GR 7(d): the clerk maintains the official set, the web copy is the judiciary's convenience publication · awaiting human verification flip (text is verbatim; the flip is the review gate)

LINCOLN COUNTY DISTRICT COURT
STATE OF WASHINGTON
LOCAL RULES 2019
TABLE OF RULES
ADMINISTRATIVE RULES (LARLJ)
LARLJ 1 EMAIL COMMUNICATION
LARLJ 2 SERVICE AND FILING OF PLEADINGS
INFRACTION RULES (LIRLJ)
LIRLJ 1 DECISIONS ON WRITTEN OR EMAIL STATEMENTS
LIRLJ 2 MANDATORY LIABILITY INSURANCE VIOLATIONS
LIRLJ 3 REQUEST FOR SPEED MEASURING DEVICE EXPERT
REMOTE TESTIMONY
CRIMINAL RULES (LCrRLJ)
LCrRLJ 1 AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL ATTORNEYS
LCrRLJ 2 READINESS HEARING

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LARLJ 1
Purpose: The purpose of this rule is to provide guidelines for the use of e-
mail in communicating with Lincoln County District Court staff. This rule
does not apply to the other forms of communication, and does not establish
a preference for e-mail communication over any other form of
communication.
Use of the judge’s individual address is prohibited: The only address to be
used by attorneys, pro se (self-represented) litigants or others who need to
communicate with court staff about a case is the District Courts general e-
mail address – districtcourt@co.lincoln.wa.us, unless otherwise directed by
the judge and/or court clerk(s) to e-mail to a specific e-mail address.
Absent express invitation by the judge, the judge’s individual e-mail is not
to be used.
Guidelines for use of e-mail: E-mail communication with the District Court
is appropriate in the following typical situations:
To obtain a date for an in-court hearing:
To determine the judge’s availability for a hearing;
To determine the availability of equipment needed for trial
To advise the court of a settlement (to be immediately followed by formal
written notice).
For any other matters or questions it would be more appropriate to
communicate by way of a telephone call to court staff.
E-mail is not to be used to submit motions and/or orders, or any other
process to the court. Please conduct filing of documents via fax, US Postal
Service mail or in person.
Ex parte communication prohibited: The prohibitions regarding ex parte
contact with the court are fully applicable to e-mail communication. If an
attorney/party is communicating substantive information to the court staff,
the e-mail must also be sent to the opposing party and so indicate on its
face. Substantive information includes information regarding the likelihood

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of settlement, the timing of witnesses, anticipated problems with
scheduling, concerns regarding security and other case-specific issues.
Retention of e-mail: The court is not obligated to retain any electronic
communications. Original documentation shall be filed with the Lincoln
County District Court.
LARLJ 2 SERVICE AND FILING OF PLEADINGS
The court accepts documents and pleadings filed by facsimile subject to the
provisions of GR 17. A document properly filed by facsimile shall constitute
an original.

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LIRLJ 1 DECISIONS ON WRITTEN OR E-MAIL STATEMENTS
In place of the Defendant’s personal appearance at a contested or mitigation
infraction hearing, the defendant may submit their written statement by e-
mail submission. It may and preferably should be submitted on the Court’s
electronic hearing form. The Court will only accept email submission at this
time.
The Court shall examine the citing officer’s report, any radar/laser
certificates filed with the Clerk, (if applicable), and any statement (s)
submitted by the Defendant. The examination shall take place within 120
days after the Defendant has filed the response to the Notice of Infraction.
The examination may be held in chambers. The Court shall determine
whether the Plaintiff has proved by a preponderance of the evidence
submitted whether the infraction was committed. Any defendant electing to
request that the court hold a contested or mitigation hearing under this rule
waives the right to appeal the Court’s decision to the Superior Court under
IRLJ 3.5.
E-mail submissions can only be submitted within the 15 day response time
or one week prior to the date of an in court hearing. No hearing will be
continued so that the defendant may submit a hearing electronically.

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LIRLJ 2 MANDATORY LIABILITY INSURANCE VIOLATIONS
2.A If a person who has been cited with a violation of RCW 46.30.020
presents the Court Clerk with evidence that the person had vehicle
insurance in effect at the time the citation was issued as required, then
upon payment of twenty five ($25.00) the Court Clerk shall be authorized
to dismiss the charge as per RCW 46.30.020 (2).
2B The Court Clerks are authorized to mitigate the penalty for Mandatory
Liability Insurance violations in cases when the person cited presents,
either in person at the Clerk’s counter, or by mail or facsimile, evidence of
insurance issued after the citation was written in amounts as the Court
directs by general court order.

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LIRLJ 3 REQUEST FOR SPEED MEASURING DEVICE EXPERT
REMOTE TESTIMONY
Any request to produce a speed measuring device expert must be filed in
accordance with IRLJ 6.6 (b). If the parties stipulate, the court may allow
the speed measuring device expert to testify from a location other than the
courtroom, via electronic means acceptable to the court.
Allowing SMD expert testimony by electronic means serves to reduce costs
incurred by law enforcement agencies as well as assisting defendants in
presenting the testimony of their own SMD experts.

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LCrRLJ 1 AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL OF ATTORNEYS
Unless a Notice of Appeal has been filed, any attorney representing the
defendant shall be deemed automatically withdrawn from representation on
the case thirty (30) days following a final decision of the court as defined in
RALJ, without further notice to the court.
An attorney representing the defendant shall be deemed automatically
withdrawn from representation thirty days (30) after the issuance of a
warrant without further notice to the court.

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LCRrLJ 2 READINESS HEARING
In order to efficiently summons jurors, to avoid unnecessary disruptions of
jurors’ lives, and to avoid the waste of public resources the following
readiness hearing procedures have been adopted:
Not less than 14 days prior to an assigned jury trial date, the court will hold
a readiness hearing where it will be mandatory that the prosecuting
attorney, the defense counsel and the defendant will be present. The
requirements of this rule can be waived only by the Judge assigned to the
case. If the defendant fails to appear for the readiness hearing, a warrant
for the arrest of the defendant may issue, bail or bond may be forfeited and
costs imposed at the discretion of the court. In the event the defendant
waives the jury trial subsequent to the readiness hearing, costs may be
imposed pursuant to LARLJ I.

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At the readiness hearing, the following matters will be concluded:
1. All plea negotiations
2. Exchange of witness lists
3. Providing of any discovery not previously completed by the pretrial
hearing or on
issues arising due to new evidence.
4. Motions on new legal issues or new evidence.
5. The Judge will instruct the parties at readiness as to the requirements
for submitting
Jury instructions
At the conclusion of the readiness hearing, the court will no longer grant
any further motions to amend or motions to dismiss the charge (s) unless
good cause is shown. Therefore, the case will be tried by jury, unless
waived by the defendant, or concluded by a guilty plea to the original charge
(s). See LARJ 1

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Verbatim from the official publication; the only normalization is removal of the publisher's page headers. Verify against the official source for filing-critical use — court publications change without notice.