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Municipal Court
The Municipal Court will be returning to In Person Hearings starting September 1, 2023.
In Person Attendance Requirements
Effective September 1, 2023, the following are in person attendance requirements for the Bainbridge Island Municipal Court.
Attorneys and defendants are expected to appear in person at the Bainbridge Island Municipal Court, with some exceptions as outlined below. Observers must appear in person unless a good cause exception is granted by the Judge.
The court staff will no longer email orders to defendants who are represented by counsel. For those attorneys who appear remotely, the clerk will email the court order only to the attorney, who is expected to send the information to their client.
Arraignment Hearings:
All parties must appear in person for arraignment hearings.
Waiver of Arraignment: For those defendants who retain private counsel prior to arraignment, this arraignment hearing may be waived in accordance with CrRLJ 4.1(g) (waiver of arraignment for permitted offenses). Arraignment may not be waived for DUI/Physical Control offenses (RCW 46.61.50571) or DV offenses (RCW 10.99.045).
Pre-trial Hearings:
If a continuance is anticipated, a defendant may appear for the pre-trial hearing on Zoom or through counsel, pursuant to the requirements of CrRLJ 3.4.
Defendants and counsel must appear in person for any substantive motions that will occur at the pre-trial hearing, such as alleged violations of conditions of release.
Criminal Case Resolutions:
Defendants and counsel must appear in person for entry of guilty pleas, sentencing, pre-trial diversion agreements, deferred prosecutions, compromise of misdemeanor, reduction/ sentencing for Negligent 1 at end of PDA, and resolutions of motion to revoke that involve a request for sanctions.
Probation Review Hearings:
Defendants and counsel may appear for probation, PDA, deferred prosecution reviews by Zoom, unless directed by the Judge to appear in person. Defendants and counsel must appear for resolution of a motion to revoke that involves sanctions.
Bench Warrant Quash Hearings:
Defendants and counsel must appear in person.
Testimonial Motions, Trial Status Conference, and Trial:
Defendants and counsel must appear in person.
Traffic Infraction Mitigation and Contested Hearing:
Litigants that are mitigating or contesting a citation for traffic, parking, animal control or code violations must appear in person unless they have submitted the deferred finding request or mitigation by mail documents prior to the hearing
Request for Exception:
Zoom appearances may be granted by the Judge in exceptional circumstances. Requests to allow Zoom appearance shall be submitted by the online form and submitted no less than 3 business days prior to the scheduled hearing to allow sufficient time for the Judge to review the request.
Online Request to Appear at Hearing by Zoom