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Thurston County, Washington

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Superior Court

What is an ex parte motion?

Ex parte motions are requests made to the Court without giving advance notice to the other party. They can be decided by a judicial officer without a hearing. Ex parte motions are only allowed in limited situations because court rules usually require that advance notice of motions be given to all parties. 

Here are some requests that can be made ex parte: 

  • Orders agreed to by all parties. 
  • Orders for default or default judgment when the other party has not appeared.
  • Emergency orders to maintain the current status until a hearing.
  • Requests to modify or rescind criminal no-contact orders (at main campus).
  • Other orders that don’t require advance notice to another party.

Not every request can be made ex parte. 
 

Information on how to present your motion at an ex parte calendar:

Specific procedures for presenting ex parte motions differ by court location. Click on the links below for instructions.

Ex Parte Motions at Main Campus

Ex Parte Motions at Family and Juvenile Court