Ex Parte & Probate Department

Please Note:  Beginning January 1, 2009, King County Superior Court will require certain ex parte matters to be presented through the Clerk’s Office in writing, without oral argument.  Matters that previously could be presented either to the Ex Parte Department or to the assigned judge now must be presented to the Ex Parte Department.  Matters that only assigned judges may decide will remain with the assigned judge.

Please review the Ex Parte Motions and Hearings Manual, available at the Clerk’s Office Website, for specific information on related procedures.

Ex Parte:  A special department of Superior Court assigned responsibility under Local Rules for certain short matters and emergency or unopposed orders.

Locations:
King County Courthouse (Seattle) Courtroom W-325 516 3rd Ave., Mail Stop C-203 Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 296-9330	Regional Justice Center (Kent) Courtroom 1J 401 Fourth Ave. N, Mail Stop RJC-SC-0203 Kent, WA 98032 (206) 205-2566

Hours:

Monday thru Friday:
9:00am - noon
1:30pm - 4:15pm

Calendar Schedules:

Evictions	9:00am
Guardianships/Probate	10:30am
Adoptions (Seattle)	9:00am and 1:30pm
Adoptions (Kent)	1:30pm
Non-Attorney Dissolutions	1:30pm
Walk-ins	9:00am - 12:00pm and 1:30 - 3:45

Types of cases and proceedings that may be heard in Ex Parte (civil and family law actions):

• Vulnerable Adult Protection Orders
• Evictions/Unlawful Detainer actions
• Guardianships and Trusts
• Minor or Incapacitated Adult Settlements
• Probate/trusts
• Orders setting hearings
• Requests for emergency temporary domestic violence, anti-harassment, and sexual assault protection orders.
• Requests for emergency temporary restraining orders, obtain a return/injunction hearing date and time from assigned judge's bailiff or if no assigned judge, from Chief Civil before presenting the TRO to Ex Parte.
• Adoptions
• Most types of agreed and default orders, except as provided otherwise by rule.
• Those orders that may be presented without notice and a hearing such as agreed orders, default orders, and orders to schedule a hearing, may be presented on a walk-in basis to either court (Seattle or Kent) or upon payment of a fee through the clerk's mail-in process.
• Those matters that require notice to another party and all matters listed under Local Rule 98.16; 98.04 and 98.20 to be scheduled for hearing must be presented in person, except motions for reconsideration or except as the court orders otherwise. See the King County Local Rules for further information.

Useful Links and Forms:
Clerk's website
Family Law Forms
Guardianship Forms
Trust Forms
Title 26 Family Law GAL Registry
GAL Policy 
Guardianship/Family Law Facilitators
Ex Parte Forms - Note for Motion Docket - Seattle
Ex Parte Forms - Note for Motion Docket - Kent
King County Superior Court Local Rules