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 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 |
On Oct. 5, 2021, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Misconduct | RPC 8.4 |
Complaint - Citation and Notice | CrRLJ 2.1 |
Additional Authorities
| RAP 10.8 |
Suggested Amendments to: General Rules, Code of Judicial Conduct, Discipline Rules for Judges, Board for Judicial Administration Rules, Rules of Professional Conduct, Admission and Practice Rules, Rules for Enforcement of Lawyer Conduct, Judicial Information System Committee Rules, and Rules of Evidence
| See Order No. 25700-A-1375 |
Circumstances Which May Affect Scope of Review
| RAP 2.5 |
Time for Trial - Amended 3/3/2022 | CrRLJ 3.3 |
Presence of the Defendant - Amended 3/3/2022 | CrRLJ 3.4 |
On Nov. 3, 2021, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Suggested Amendments to Rules for Enforcement of Lawyer Conduct (ELC) | ELC 3.4, 4.1, 4.3, 5.1, 5.3, 5.7, 7.2, 14.3, and 15.1 |
Time for Trial
| CrR 3.3 |
Decisions of the Superior Court that may be Appealed | RAP 2.2 |
Transmittal of Record of Proceedings | RALJ 6.2 |
Extension and Reduction of Time | RALJ 10.3 |
Lawyer's Fees and Expenses | RALJ 11.2 |
Application of Other Court Rules | RALJ 11.7 |
Suggested Amendments to Civil Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction | CRLJ 4, 8, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 40, 41, 43, 44.1, 46, 47, 49, 51, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 73, and 75 |
On Dec. 6, 2021, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Pleas | CrR 4.2(g) |
Suggested Amendments to Code for Judicial Conduct | |
Mandatory Continuing Judicial Education | GR 26 |
Verbatim Report of Proceedings | RAP 9.2 |
Preparation and Filing of Brief by Party | RAP 10.4 |
Personal Restraint Petition | RAP 16.9 |
Who Decides a Motion | RAP 17.2 |
Violation of Rules | RAP 18.9 |
New GR and Suggested Amendments to CrR 3.1, JuCR 9.2, CrRLJ 3.1 | New GR [42], CrR 3.1, JuCR 9.2, and CrRLJ 3.1 |
Subpoenas | CrRLJ 4.8 |
Probation | CrRLJ 7.6 |
Licensed Legal Intern | APR 9 |
Interpreter Commission | GR 11.1 |
Remote Interpretation | GR 11.3 |
Law Clerk Program - Amended 12/7/2021 | APR 6 |
Comments Due June 30, 2022
On March 31, 2022, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Presiding Judge in Superior Court District and Limited Jurisdiction Court District | GR 29 |
Informal Relations Trial (Revised Proposal) | New GR 40 |
Comments Due August 31, 2022
On March 31, 2022, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Suggested Amendments to Infraction Rules for Courts of Limited Jurisdiction, New IRLJ 3.5, and Suggested Repeal of IRLJ 4.2 | IRLJ 1.2, 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 5.1, New IRLJ 3.5, Suggested Repeal of IRLJ 4.2 |
Comments Due April 30, 2023
On March 31, 2022, the Court issued the following rule orders:
Topic | Rule(s) |
Notice of Court Dates to Defendant | CrR 4.11 and CrRLJ 4.11 |
Signatures | CrR 4.12 and CrRLJ 4.12 |
Injunctions | CR 65 |
Conflict of Interest: Current Clients: Specific Rules | RPC 1.8 |
Pronouns | New General Rule |
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 |
| 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
|
| Monetary Penalty Schedule for Infractions | IRLJ 6.2(d) | Oct. 5, 2021 |
| Parties Plaintiff and Defendant; Capacity; Summary Judgment; Relief from Judgment and Order; Immigration Status | CRLJ 17; CRLJ 56; CRLJ 60; ER 413 | Oct. 5, 2021 |
| Confidentiality of Information | RPC 1.6 | Oct. 5, 2021 |
| Transcript of Electronic Record | RALJ 6.3.1 | Nov. 3, 2021 |
| Entry of Decision, Issuance of Mandate, and Enforcement of Judgment | RALJ 9.2 | Nov. 3, 2021 |
| Legal Financial Obligations | New GR 39 | Dec. 3, 2021 |
| Remote Interpretation | GR 11.3 | March 31, 2022 |
| Access to Court Records; Indictment and the Information | GR 31 and CrR 2.1 | March 31, 2022 |
| Access to Court Records | GR 31 | March 31, 2022 |
| Rule for Certifying Professional Guardians and Conservators | GR 23 | March 31, 2022 |
