As you read this, we are past the summer and are in the throws of a busy fall season. What I appreciate is in many cultures that follow a lunar calendar, the fall is a time for a new year and renewal. It is a time to spend with family and friends to re-discover what binds us and makes us connected. It is these connections that weave our communities together and create festive gatherings and shared meals. For our profession, as school gears back up, so do trials. Many trials that planned around summer vacations are now presenting their cases to juries. For us, our court capacity is front of mind so that everyone can access our courts. To that end, we are engaging in conversations with the County Council and the Executive about court capacity and providing adequate court funding to meet our calling … the rule of law.
We have taken some operational steps to be more efficient. For example, we recently announced a triage system to deal with our unlawful detainer backlog. Effective August 12, the Court expanded the calendar for unlawful detainer hearings, implemented new screening protocols, and increased the number of judicial officers available to conduct such hearings. This will enable us to reduce the backlog of cases that has accrued due to legislative changes and eviction moratoria associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This will not be enough but it is a start. We will continue to advocate at the local and state level to provide adequate resources to deal with the surge in cases and ensure everyone can timely access our courts.
Under the new system, unlawful detainer actions will proceed via first and second show cause hearings. And to ensure access, all hearings will continue to be on Zoom. The number of available hearings slots for the first unlawful detainer show cause hearing will start and expand through steady increases over the next several months, with a target of 50 cases per calendar.
We have replaced a vacant commissioner position with Commissioner Kate Francis who comes from the King County Bar Association, and are recruiting for another vacant commissioner position. We are hopeful that with adequate resourcing, we can add staff and commissioners to help with civil orders.
And, our criminal and juvenile departments continue to process the oldest and most complex cases so that both defendants and victims can have their day in court. As the work of the court continues, we hope that you will remind those local leaders that the court must be adequately resourced to deal with all of our community’s disputes. The community’s faith in civic society depends on how well we meet the need.
As always, we welcome feedback and conversation on how our court can serve the King County Bar and the members of our community. Please reach out to further that conversation.
