Comments to proposed changes will be posted here and must be received no later than June 30, 2026
Please email comments to mc.municrt@federalwaywa.gov
FWMCLR 3.4
PRESENCE OF THE DEFENDANT - VIDEO CONFERENCE HEARINGS
All in-custody, except trials, may be conducted via Zoom or video conference pursuant to CrRLJ 3.4. All out of custody appearances shall be in person and may only be conducted on Zoom or video conference with permission of the court upon good cause shown. Consent to proceed via Zoom or video conference will be implied for all hearings, excluding trial, unless an objection is made before or during the hearing to proceeding in this manner.
Interpreter Requests: Counsel shall inform the court whether an interpreter will be needed at the next hearing if a continuance is requested under CrRLJ 3.4. The court will not request an interpreter for the next hearing unless such a request is made by counsel on the record in open court or requested in writing at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the next hearing.
Interpreter Cancellations: Counsel shall inform the court at least five (5) days before the next hearing if a CrRLJ 3.4 continuance is going to be requested at the next hearing or if they are aware that their client will not be present at the next hearing for some other reason. The Court reserves the right to charge the cost of an interpreter cancellation to the defense if the attorney knew or reasonably should have known that the interpreter’s services would not be necessary, particularly if the attorney is appearing pursuant to CrRLJ 3.4.
(Amended September 1, 2023; Amended September 1. 2020; Amended effective September 1,
2019; Effective September 1, 2011, Amended September 1, 2012; Amended effective September 1, 2026)
FWMCLAR 12
REGISTRATION BY COURTS OF LIMITED JURISDICTION COURT BUSINESS HOURS
The Federal Way Municipal Court shall be open to the public for business from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday of each week except for Holidays or other days scheduled by Order of the State of Washington Supreme Court or by order of the Federal Way Municipal Court Presiding Judge.
(Amended effective September 1, 2019; Amended effective September 1, 2013; Amended effective September 1, 2026)
FWMCLR 6.15
JURY INSTRUCTIONS
(a) Jury instructions shall be provided as follows:
- The parties shall exchange a full set of cited and numbered proposed instructions on the first morning of trial and file a copy of the cited and numbered proposed instructions with the court. In addition, each party shall provide the judge with one set of unnumbered and uncited instructions in the same sequential order as the cited and numbered proposed instructions filed with the court. The unnumbered and uncited instructions may be provided to the judge in Word electronic format in lieu of a hard copy.
- Numbering and Arrangement of Cited and Numbered Instructions. On the cited and numbered copy of instructions filed with the court, the citations shall be in the lower left-hand corner. The instructions shall be arranged in a logical order and numbered sequentially by the submitting party at the top center of each page (Example: "Instruction No. 1" would be at the top center of the first proposed instruction, "Instruction No. 2" would be at the top center of the second proposed instruction, and so forth).
(Effective September 1, 2013; Amended effective September 1, 2026)