Judge Monica J. Benton
CONTACT WITH THE COURT
Due to the high volume of court hearings, you may get a quicker response if you e-mail the bailiff directly. Please be sure to include the case name, cause number and nature of your request. Be as specific as possible in your e-mail.Before you send email to Judge Benton's court about a pending case, read the following information. If your email violates the guidelines listed below, the bailiff may choose to simply delete your email without reading it.1. Email communication with the court/bailiff is appropriate ONLY to: a. Schedule a hearing, pretrial conference, or settlement conference; b. Provide electronic copies of proposed orders and asset/debt spreadsheets for trial; c. Arrange for an interpreter, to have an inmate brought from the jail, or for equipment needed for trial (such as a video player); d. Advise the court of a settlement (to be immediately followed by formal written notice pursuant to CR 41(e)); e. Determine whether the judge will accept jury instructions, legal memoranda, and the like, in the form of an email submission; f. Request to appear by telephone where the person appearing telephonically will not be testifying; g. Notify the court that a hearing is being canceled or continued; h. Notify the court, in an emergency, that a party or lawyer will be late for a hearing; i. Contact the court regarding matters of a similar nature that would be appropriate to handle by way of a phone call to court staff.
2. Any emails sent to the court must be also sent to ALL OPPOSING ATTORNEYS and ANY SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS. Judges and their staff are not allowed to have one-sided communication with parties or their attorneys with respect to a pending case except as authorized by statute or rule. Email addresses for attorneys can generally be found on the Washington State Bar Association website (www.WSBA.org). If you do not have an email address for a self-represented litigant, you must indicate this in your email and state what form or alternate notice is being given. 3. If you have other concerns or requests, you may set a hearing with notice to all opposing attorneys and any self-represented parties in accordance with the applicable court rules. Do not use email to complain about the other party or attorney, to pass on information about issues in the case, or to request the judge to answer a question, except with respect to procedural issues as noted above. 4. If you do not have an attorney, you may wish to contact the King County Bar Association (www.KCBA.org) at 206-267-7010 to obtain a referral or, if this is a family law case, the Family Law Facilitator's Office at 206-205-2526 for forms and instructions.
DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS
All documents (i.e., stipulated orders, motions, responsive pleadings, trial documents, etc) MUST be delivered to the judges’ mailroom on the 2nd floor of the Maleng Regional Justice Center (Room C-203). Please do not enter the courtroom and disturb the proceedings if your intent is to drop off documents of any kind. The bailiff will refuse to accept the document(s), unless arrangements have been made and approved in advance. No exceptions.
NON-DISPOSITIVE MOTIONS
Parties must comply with LR 7 when noting motions without argument. Working papers should be addressed to Judge Benton and delivered to the Maleng Regional Justice Center , Room C-203. If exhibits are attached to pleadings, they must be separated by numbered or lettered tabs or the court will return them.
DISPOSITIVE MOTIONS
Parties must contact the bailiff to schedule a motion with oral argument – no exceptions. Dispositive motions are scheduled on Friday mornings. To request a hearing date, please call or e-mail the bailiff and include the case name, cause number and type of hearing requested. Parties should contact the court as soon as possible, as timeslots are limited and get booked quickly.
REQUESTS FOR ORAL ARGUMENT (ON MOTIONS HEARD WITHOUT ARGUMENT)
If you would like to request oral argument on a motion that is generally heard without argument, please write “ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED” in red ink in the upper right hand corner of the court’s working papers. Judge Benton will review the motion on the date it is noted. If after reviewing the motion she determines that a decision can be made immediately, an order will be entered. However, if Judge Benton decides oral argument is appropriate, the bailiff will contact the parties and set a hearing date in the future.
COPIES OF ORDERS
Copies of orders will not be mailed if pre-addressed stamped envelopes are not provided with the working papers, pursuant to LR7. If envelopes are not submitted, parties can obtain a copy of the order from the Clerk’s Office 5-7 days after it is filed.
STATUS OF ORDERS
Please do not contact the bailiff regarding the status of a ruling within 48 hours of the day it is noted. If pre-addressed stamped envelopes are submitted with the working papers, copies of the order will be mailed as soon as a ruling is entered.
SETTLEMENT / STRIKE MOTION
Please call or e-mail the bailiff immediately if a case settles or a motion needs to be stricken from the court’s calendar.
TRIAL PREPARATION
Trial materials shall be submitted to the IC Judge one week prior to trial date.
REQUEST FOR CHANGE OF TRIAL DATE
Motions or stipulated orders to continue the trial date must comply fully with LR40. Pleadings/orders that do not comply with the local rule will not be considered. WEDDINGS Weddings are performed at the courthouse Monday through Friday after 4:30pm. Please contact the bailiff for scheduling and procedural information. (Note: You must have a valid marriage license at the time of the ceremony and two witnesses over age 18.)
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