Feedback Requested
- Pursuant to court order, the Washington State Bar Association notifies members and the public of proposed court rules that are available for comment. They are posted to this page.
- To read the proposed rules in full, click on the rule to be taken to the Washington Court's website.
- Please send comments by either U.S. mail to P.O. Box 40929, Olympia, WA 98504-0929, or by email to supreme@courts.wa.gov.
Comments due Sept. 28, 2021
On April 8, 2021, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Informal Domestic Relations Trial (IDRT)Per Amended Order No. 25700-A-1341, the Court has extended the comment period to Sept. 28, 2021 | IDRT [New] GR 40 |
Comments Due Sept. 30, 2021
In June 2021, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Presence of the Defendant | CrR 3.4 |
Right to and Assignment of Lawyer | CrR 3.1 |
Relief from Judgment and Order | CrR 7.8 |
Comments due Dec. 29, 2021
On August 12, 2021, the Court extended the comment deadline for the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Trial by Jury or by the Court | CR 39 |
Jury Selection by VideoconferencePer Second Amended Order No. 25700-A-1354, a correction was made to change the proposed new General Rules number from [40] to [41]. | New GR 41 |
Comments Due April 30, 2022
On April 8, 2021, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Amendments to the Rules of Appellate Procedure (RAP) | RAP 5.3, 10.2, 10.10 |
Task Force on the Escalating Cost of Civil Litigation | New CR 3.1, 16, 26, 77 |
Rules Effective Upon Publication
An archive of the disposition of past proposed rules can be found on the Washington Courts website.
| Topic(s) | Rule(s) | Date Ordered |
Paralegal Certification Examination Requirement | Sept. 9, 2020 | |
Pro Bono Status | Oct. 7, 2020 | |
Suggested Amendments to Rules of Appellate Procedure (RAPs), NEW RAP 18.17 and RAP Forms | Dec. 3, 2020 | |
Suggested Amendments to various General Rules (GRs), Criminal Rules (CrRs), Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction (CrRLJs, IRLJs, and RALJs), Juvenile Court Rules (JuCRs), and Superior Court Special Proceedings Rules (SPRs). | Dec. 3, 2020 | |
Remote Recording | Dec. 3, 2020 | |
Team Interpreting | New GR 11.4 | Dec. 3, 2020 |
Pleas - Written Statement | Dec. 3, 2020 | |
AMENDED Remote Interpreting | AMENDED ORDER: GR 11.3 | Dec. 11, 2020 |
Suggested Amendments to the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPCs) | Jan. 8, 2021 | |
Suggested Amendments to the Limited License Legal Technician Rules of Professional Conduct (LLLT RPCs) | Jan. 8, 2021 | |
| Special Conflicts of Interest for Former and Current Government Officers and Employees | RPC 1.11 [Comment 2] | April 8, 2021 |
| Court of Appeals and Court Recovery Task Force Appellate Committee Suggested Amendments to Rules of Appellate Procedure | RAP 6.3, 9.7, and New RAP 6.4 | June 4, 2021 |
| Organization as a Client and Declining or Terminating Representation | RPC 1.13, Cmt. [4] and RPC 1.16, New Cmt. [16] | June 4, 2021
(effective Sept. 1, 2021) |
| Certifying Professional Guardians and Conservators | GR 23 | June 4, 2021
(effective Sept. 1, 2021) |
Standards for Indigent Defense | Standard 14, CrR 3.1 stds., CrRLJ 3.1 stds., JuCR 9.2 stds., and MPR 2.1 stds. | June 4, 2021
(effective Sept. 1, 2021) |
Mandatory Continuing Legal Education | APR 11 | June 4, 2021
(effective Sept. 1, 2021) |
| Remission of Legal Financial Obligations | New GR 39 | June 4, 2021
(effective TBD) |
| Malpractice Insurance Disclosure | RPC 1.4 | June 4, 2021
(effective Sept. 1, 2021) |
| Nonprofit and Court-Annexed Limited Legal Service Programs | RPC 6.5 | June 4, 2021
(effective Sept. 1, 2021) |
| Pattern Forms - Pleas | CrR 4.2 | Sept. 2, 2021
|
| Pleas and Pretrial Disposition | CrRLJ 4.2 | Sept. 2, 2021
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