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Judicial Administration

King County Courthouse
516 3rd Ave, E609
Seattle, WA 98104-2386

Maleng Justice Center
401 4th Ave N, 2C
Kent, WA  98032

Juvenile Division
1211 E. Alder St. #201
Seattle, WA  98122

(206) 296-9300
(206) 296-0100 TTY/TDD

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Miscellaneous images of King County Superior Court Clerk's staff at work.

LCR 0.3 DIVISION OF MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

        (a) Powers and Duties of the Judges. 
                    (1) Elect and remove at-large members of the Executive Committee.
                    (2) Elect and remove a Presiding Judge.
                    (3) Elect and remove an Assistant Presiding Judge.
                    (4) Appoint and remove commissioners.
                    (5) Attend judges’ meetings.
                    (6) Attend committee meetings.
                    (7) Create and dissolve standing committees.
                    (8) Enact local rules. Local rules shall be enacted only by a majority of all judges of the court. See CR 83.
                    (9) Adopt policies that govern or provide guidelines for management of the court.
                    (10) Adopt general policies for the assignment of cases and judges, as recommended by the Presiding Judge and Executive Committee.
                    (11) Approve the budget of the court.
                    (12) Request review of any decision made by the Executive Committee. If such a request is made, the decision shall be referred to the judges as a whole for final decision at the next regular judges’ meeting.
                    (13) Review for final approval all non-unanimous decisions of the Executive Committee at the next regular judges’ meeting.
                    (14) Attend and participate in a meeting of the Executive Committee, if a judge chooses to do so. Only judges who are members of the Executive Committee, except a committee chair under LR 0.5(e), may vote.
                    (15) Participate in administration of the court consistent with CJC 3(B)(1).
        (b) Powers and Duties of Presiding Judge . 
                    (1) Lead the management and administration of the court’s business, recommend policies and procedures that improve the court’s effectiveness, and allocate financial resources in a way that maximizes the court’s ability to resolve disputes fairly and expeditiously.
                    (2) Serve as the spokesperson for the court in all dealings with the executive and legislative branches and with the media. If the matter is of such a nature that the Presiding Judge requires advice and counsel, he/she shall contact the members of the Executive Committee, if possible under the circumstances.
                    (3) Call such special meetings of the judges and Executive Committee as may be required.
                    (4) Establish, with the approval of the Executive Committee, special calendars or departments and assign judges and commissioners thereto.
                    (5) Assign judicial officers to hear cases and other matters pursuant to general policies established by the judges of the court.
                    (6) Assign judicial officers to the various special and standing committees of the court and appoint the chairperson of such committees.
                    (7) Assign judges to the King County Superior Court facilities. In making these assignments, the Presiding Judge shall consider all relevant factors including the willingness of a judge to serve, the need for diversity, and what assignments will be in the best interest of the court as a whole. A judge who previously has served at the Regional Justice Center, juvenile court, or other facility shall not be reassigned until all other judges have served at that facility, unless such judge volunteers for service at that facility.
                    (8) Select, with the approval of the Executive Committee, the chief judges of the juvenile, civil, criminal and unified family court departments and of the Regional Justice Center.
                    (9) Coordinate the vacations and educational leaves of judicial officers.
                    (10) Supervise all personnel under the judicial branch, including the Chief Administrative Officer and the Director of the Department of Judicial Administration.
                    (11) Develop and coordinate statistical and management information.
                    (12) Supervise the preparation and filing of reports required by statute and court rules.
                    (13) Perform such other duties as are provided in these rules, or as are assigned by a majority of the judges.
        (c) Powers and Duties of the Assistant Presiding Judge . 
                    (1) Serve as Acting Presiding Judge during the absence or upon the request of the Presiding Judge.
                    (2) Perform such further duties as these rules, the Presiding Judge, Executive Committee or a majority of the judges shall direct.
        (d) Powers and Duties of the Executive Committee. 
                    (1) Decide matters of policy affecting the court. Decisions made by unanimous vote shall be final following the next regular judges’ meeting, unless modified or rejected by a majority of judges in attendance at the next regular judges’ meeting. Provided, however, that decisions involving urgent matters may be implemented after notice to the judges.
                    (2) Make recommendations on policy matters to the judges at any meeting of the judges.
                    (3) Recommend the designation and duties of the committees of the court and receive reports and recommendations from committees. Whenever matters to be considered by the Executive Committee concern the work of another committee, the chair of that committee shall be notified of the meeting and shall be considered a member of the Executive Committee for the limited purpose of voting on such matter.
                    (4) Act in an advisory capacity to the Presiding Judge.
                    (5) Review and advise the Presiding Judge concerning his or her decision, in the capacity of Presiding Judge, to report a judge or commissioner to the Judicial Conduct Commission.
                    (6) Determine whether disciplinary action of a commissioner, short of termination, is appropriate. 
                    (7) Approve an expenditure budget and review and approve actual unfunded items.
                    (8) Determine the qualifications of and establish a training program for pro tem judges and pro tem court commissioners. Training and selection may be delegated to the relevant standing committee.
                    (9) Conduct the annual performance review of the Chief Administrative Officer and the Director of Judicial Administration.
                    (10) Meet at least once a month and provide written agenda and timely notice of the regular Executive Committee meetings to all judges and commissioners. If attachments are available in electronic form, they shall be distributed with the agenda.
                    (11) Promptly distribute to the judges written minutes of action taken by the Executive Committee.
                    (12) In the absence of the Presiding and Assistant Presiding Judge, the senior member of the Executive Committee shall serve as Acting Presiding Judge.

[Amended effective September 1, 2008]