NOTICE: The Thurston County website may be unavailable intermittently for maintenance Friday at 5pm 8/23 through Sunday at 5pm 8/25. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Requesting a Telephonic Hearing
Main Campus

​Civil and Criminal

Appearing telephonically is governed by Local Court Rule 7(B)

(B) Motion. A party who seeks to request a telephonic appearance shall file a timely

motion. Such a motion may be brought by any party to assist a person with limited

communications, such as an inmate.

(i) Civil Cases and Trials. Motions for telephonic appearance in civil cases must be

presented on the assigned judge’s civil motion calendar. The motion to appear telephonically

must be noted for hearing at least one week before the matter for which a telephonic appearance

is sought. The assigned judge will rule on the motion to appear telephonically without oral

argument.

(ii) Criminal Motions. Motions for telephonic appearance for criminal motion

calendars must be presented to a criminal division judge. The motion may be made ex parte at

the beginning of any criminal calendar. The moving party may also note the motion for

consideration on the criminal miscellaneous calendar, and the criminal division judge will rule

on the motion to appear telephonically without oral argument.

(C) Procedure. The party who was granted a telephonic hearing may contact the

assigned judge’s judicial assistant for instructions at least two business days before the

telephonic hearing. A party who is granted a telephonic hearing has the same duties as parties

who appear in person, including the duties to provide judges’ copies of pleadings and to provide

a proposed order.

Family and Juvenile Court
Arranging to Participate by Telephone

In some situations, a party will be permitted to participate in a hearing by telephone rather than by personally appearing in court.

Criteria to participate by phone:

  1. the person lives out of state, or
  2. the person lives over a 2-hour drive from the courthouse, or
  3. the person has a medical condition preventing travel, or
  4. the person is incarcerated and unable to be present or
  5. Any other reason that the court finds as good cause.

Participation by telephone in settlement conferences may only be with permission of the Judge arranged through Court Administration.  If approved, the party will be required to call (360) 709-3295 at the time of the settlement conference. 

Participation by telephone in trial may require agreement of the other party as well as permission of the Judge.  A motion to participate by phone should be filed and a hearing scheduled on the Judge's motion calendar for approval.  Once an order is signed, the party must call Court Administration to make arrangements.  The party will be required to call (360) 709-3295 at the time of trial. 

Participation by telephone in a hearing

A person asking to participate by telephone should contact Court Administration. He or she will need to provide a number where the Clerk can call when the court is ready to hear the case.  The preferred method of calling is on a land line number. If a land line is not available the cellular phone must comply with the following:

A. there must be good reception during the entire call;
B. there must be no background noise during the call; and
C. there must be no ring-back tones.

You will need to make arrangements to appear by telephone for every hearing scheduled.  You should always make the arrangements to appear by telephone as soon as you know you have a hearing scheduled.

Court Administration can only schedule three (3) telephonic hearings per calendar. Those participating by telephone do not receive priority, so it will sometimes be necessary to wait by the telephone for the entire calendar– just as though you were in the courtroom waiting for the case to be called.

The number to call to request or arrange for telephone participation is 360-709-3295.

Dependency Telephonics

Generally telephonic hearings are not available in Dependency matters for parties represented by an attorney, except as set forth below.

Telephonic participation for dependency related hearings by a party represented by an attorney are only allowed in relinquishment hearings and in hearings where agreed order(s) of dependency is proposed to be entered by the court and then only if:

a. The person lives over 120 miles from the court house; or
b. The party is incarcerated

(1) Persons other than incarcerated parties who request to appear by phone must be available for the entire calendar.
(2) The attorney shall provide the phone number to the clerk in the courtroom prior to the start of the calendar.
(3) The preferred method of calling is on a land line number. If a land line is not available the cellular phone must comply with the following:

A. there must be good reception during the entire call;
B. there must be no background noise during the call; and
C. there must be no ring-back tones.
 

Telephonic hearings for all persons in custody will typically be at 1:45 for the pm calendar. For matters scheduled in the morning, the requesting party must propose a time on the Motion. If the proposed time is the only availability, please provide all the information explaining why in the Declaration. The attorney must present the Motion, Declaration and Order Regarding Participation in Hearing by Person in Custody for the judicial officer’s signature no later than 3:00 pm the day before the applicable calendar. A copy of the Order will then be provided to Court Administration as soon as possible after signed.

Click here for the Motion, Declaration and Order Authorizing Telephonic Participation in Hearing.

ADA information

​If a person has a need that requires an accommodation please click here for ADA information.