Please see attached Skagit County Superior Court amended schedule for January 23, 2026 (Judicial Retreat).

2026 Judicial Retreat Schedule.pdf

Skagit County is accepting applications for a part-time Superior Court Commissioner position.

Part-Time Superior Court Commissioner

Skagit County Superior Court is pleased to announce that current Court Commissioner Mary Crandall has been appointed as Superior Court Judge for Department 4, as detailed in the attached press release.

Governor Ferguson appoints Mary Crandall to Skagit County Superior Court

SCBA Newsletter -- October 2025.pdf

Please see attached Skagit County Superior Court Emergency Administrative Order No. 25-2.

Emergency Administrative Order 25-2.pdf

Please see attached Skagit Superior Court Schedule from December 22, 2025 through January 2, 2026.

2025 Holiday Schedule Notice to the Bar.pdf

Members of the Bar,

This is a reminder that new local rules take effect on September 1st. A “changes only” document is attached to help you navigate the new rules.

Some highlights include:

• An online ADA request form, that will be available for attorneys, litigants, jurors, and other members of the public to submit requests for accommodations;
• The confirmation of dispositive motions and RALJ hearings has been increased from four court days to five court days, requiring confirmation on regular weeks by 4:00 p.m. the Thursday before the hearing;
• A framework on how to present orders following an oral ruling;
• Inclusion of a Spanish language version of “Attachment A” for Unlawful Detainer cases;
• Increased compensation for arbitrators;
• An allowance for LLLTs to review final orders in family law cases prior to their presentation for final entry;
• Requirements for adult criminal and juvenile offender cases to be called on the record when certain timelines have passed and for attorneys to appear in person when their clients are also required to appear in person for court;
• A new rule on when criminal motions may be brought with fewer than 9 court days’ notice, and;
• Additional structure on the shelter care processes.

Finally, you might notice two new LCRs on Case Schedules. These rules will give the court flexibility to roll out caseflow management practices in certain case types, which will likely begin with minor guardianship cases. This process will involve stakeholders within each case type and is not yet underway. The bar’s liaison committees will be kept informed when this process begins.

This is just a high-level summary. Please see the attached changes. A complete version of the rules and the online ADA form will go live before September 1st.

Superior Court 2025.2026_changes only_FINAL (2).pdf

Rosanna Wadkins

Superior Court Administrator

Please see attached changes to Local Rules for Skagit County Superior Court effective September 1, 2025.

Superior Court 2025.2026_changes only_FINAL.pdf

Members of the bar,

Please see Skagit County Superior Court’s proposed local rules for 2025-2026. If adopted, these rules would take effect September 1, 2025.

Superior Court Local Rules Proposals 2025-26.pdf

One proposal of note is the timeframe to confirm dispositive motions on what is currently the 9:30 a.m. Thursday calendar. Due to challenges in scheduling trials for each upcoming week, the court proposes that the confirmation cut-off be moved one day from Friday at 4:00 p.m. to Thursday at 4:00 p.m.

There is also a newly proposed rule about case schedules. The court has been exploring caseflow management, which would involve court-issued case schedules either at filing or some other early stage of a case. Any roll-out of this process would happen gradually and would be specific to case types as it expands. We expect this would begin with minor guardianships and move to other types of cases, typically those involving children. Any of these efforts will include stakeholder input before adoption of final procedures.

Some rules related to criminal and juvenile procedures stem from proposals submitted from attorneys in those areas of practice. Two additions from the court are related to requests for continuances of criminal and juvenile offender proceedings and when people (including attorneys) need to appear in person for court instead of using the Zoom option.

We welcome comments from the bar and the public.

The comment period on these proposed rules is open until noon on June 16, 2025. Comments received will be posted on the court’s website. You may deliver or email comments to:

Rosanna Wadkins, Superior Court Administrator
205 W. Kincaid Street, Room 202
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Email

Attached is a copy of the May issue of the new Skagit County Bar Association's Newsletter.

SCBA Newsletter - May 2025.pdf