Superior Court Docket changes/Covid/Video conferencing / updated 11/30/2020
Counsel/Parties:
Attached is the General Order Dated November 30, 2020 signed by Presiding Judge James Lawler. We will not be holding any Jury trials between now and January 11, 2021. .
We will be limiting the number of personal appearances during this time and encouraging video appearance for many appearances.
Currently Zoom is being used for video conference. Links listed at bottom of this document. The video conference platform will be changing to Webex in the near future, dates to be announced.
*******Please make sure you are signing into the correct link below based on who the Judicial Officer is for your hearing. Each Judge has their own link*******
Commissioner Dockets:
Monday DV/VAPO Dockets - Video appearance is encouraged as much as possible
Settlement Conferences will be held via video conference. (Commissioner Mitchell's Zoom Link)
Wednesday Disso docket at 9:00 am will be in person. Participants encouraged to include Affidavit of Jurisdictional Testimony with their final documents in lieu of personal appearance for entry of final dissolution . Video Appearance for the 10:00 Docket is encouraged.
Thursday Dependency Dockets -Video appearance is encouraged. ARY and Juvenile Intakes will be via Video Conference.
Friday Family Law Dockets: Parties are encouraged to use video conference for hearings
Judge Dockets:
Jury trials are suspended until January 11, 2021 at this time. Bench and Fact Finding Hearings can be held depending on number of participants needing to be present in the courtroom.
Tuesday Juvenile Dockets will continue as usual, via Video Conference for in custody defendants, out of custody will continue to be available in person, but encouraged to utilize video appearance.
Criminal special set hearings such as Suppression hearings/ Plea and Sentencings will be in person unless otherwise authorized by court.
The Thursday Criminal Docket, cases such as Arraignment and Trial setting/Reset of Trial/Trial Confirmations and Mental Health Reviews will all be in person. Omnibus Hearings, setting of hearings, Review Hearings are all encouraged to appear via video conference. Counsel would need to be present if their clients are present. In custody defendants will appear via video unless in person arrangements are made.
Friday Civil Docket : Participants are encouraged to appear via Video Conference as much as possible. Guardianship docket can be held via personal appearance however zoom appearance is preferred.
TRIAL ASSIGNMENT DOCKET for Fridays with Court Administration will be conducted via Video Conference..
Below are the zoom links you will need for zoom appearances:
*******Please make sure you are signing into the correct link below based on who the Judicial Officer is for your hearing. Each Judge has their own link*******
Judge Toynbee:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93480384884?pwd=SUdlU2RZUTI5Z0RkMXU4S2psa0kwdz09
Meeting ID: 934 8038 4884
Passcode: 375633
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,93480384884#,,,,,,0#,,375633# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,93480384884#,,,,,,0#,,375633# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
833 548 0276 US Toll-free
833 548 0282 US Toll-free
877 853 5257 US Toll-free
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
Meeting ID: 934 8038 4884
Passcode: 375633
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aAc55Zw7b
Judge Lawler
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/96514274443?pwd=SjY0eG40ZU4zamp3ckZMY0U0L3NCZz09
Meeting ID: 965 1427 4443
Passcode: 393872
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,96514274443#,,,,,,0#,,393872# US (Tacoma)
+16699009128,,96514274443#,,,,,,0#,,393872# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
833 548 0282 US Toll-free
877 853 5257 US Toll-free
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
833 548 0276 US Toll-free
Meeting ID: 965 1427 4443
Passcode: 393872
Judge O’Rourke
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93112883198?pwd=MkNHMTI0ZWJ3ZGRsU2pmODlmb1hBUT09
Meeting ID: 931 1288 3198
Passcode: 890257
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,93112883198#,,,,,,0#,,890257# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,93112883198#,,,,,,0#,,890257# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
877 853 5257 US Toll-free
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
833 548 0276 US Toll-free
833 548 0282 US Toll-free
Meeting ID: 931 1288 3198
Passcode: 890257
Commissioner Mitchell:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/96698836501?pwd=Zk9zUHhEVGw0QXh6WkFLQ1RzcytBdz09
Meeting ID: 966 9883 6501
Passcode: 479338
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,96698836501#,,,,,,0#,,479338# US (Tacoma)
+16699009128,,96698836501#,,,,,,0#,,479338# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
833 548 0276 US Toll-free
833 548 0282 US Toll-free
877 853 5257 US Toll-free
Meeting ID: 966 9883 6501
Passcode: 479338
Court Administrator for Trial Assignment Dockets:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/96056248219?pwd=MkFHdFMxMktybExMZVNzTmFJVjlnZz09
Meeting ID: 960 5624 8219
Password: 499054
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,96056248219# US (Tacoma)
+16699009128,,96056248219# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
833 548 0282 US Toll-free
877 853 5257 US Toll-free
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
833 548 0276 US Toll-free
Meeting ID: 960 5624 8219
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this difficult time. Please contact me if you have questions.
Courtroom Protocol for Participants in Court Hearings Conducted by Video Conference:
- All participants are to be dressed appropriately for court.
- Distractions must be avoided
- All participants must act as if they are in an actual courtroom.
- Participants should avoid getting up and moving away from the camera during a hearing
- People who are not involved in the hearing and pets must not come into the camera view
- Participants must control background noise (which can easily be done by muting their microphone unless they are speaking).
- Participants must be aware of their visual backgrounds. There should be no offensive or distracting backgrounds visible and there must not be any messages conveyed to the court or other participants. Zoom has a feature for adding a virtual background if the actual background is not appropriate for the proceeding.
- Behavior during a hearing should be that expected in a courtroom
- The judge will direct the hearing and ask for certain participants to speak in turn
- Participants must behave respectfully, avoiding facial or hand gestures that could be interpreted as agreeing or disagreeing with a speaker or conveying a message
- In short, participants should remember that while they are not in a courtroom, they are in a “virtual” courtroom and must act appropriately.
Susie Palmateer, Administrator
Lewis County Superior Court
345 W. Main St, 4th Floor
Chehalis, WA 98532
(360) 740-1333 ext 3
Susie.Palmateer@lewiscountywa.gov