Caseloads of the Courts of Washington
Superior Court
Probate and Guardianship Activity - 2019 to 2023
| |
2019 |
2020 |
% Chg (1) |
2021 |
% Chg (1) |
2022 |
% Chg (1) |
2023 |
% Chg (1) |
|
|
| FILINGS |
| Probate |
15,307 |
14,822 |
-3.2 % |
16,827 |
13.5 % |
18,337 |
9 % |
17,867 |
-2.6 % |
| Guardianship (5) |
2,076 |
1,970 |
-5.1 % |
3,991 |
102.6 % |
3,987 |
-0.1 % |
3,974 |
-0.3 % |
| Total Filings |
17,383 |
16,792 |
-3.4 % |
20,818 |
24 % |
22,324 |
7.2 % |
21,841 |
-2.2 % |
|
|
RESOLUTIONS
PROBATE RESOLUTIONS |
| Dismissal by Clerk |
136 |
761 |
459.6 % |
813 |
6.8 % |
150 |
-81.5 % |
2,099 |
1299.3 % |
| Uncontested |
5,367 |
4,850 |
-9.6 % |
5,209 |
7.4 % |
5,427 |
4.2 % |
9,146 |
68.5 % |
| Change of Venue |
9 |
6 |
. % |
4 |
. % |
3 |
. % |
7 |
. % |
| Dismissal |
108 |
94 |
-13 % |
164 |
74.5 % |
126 |
-23.2 % |
144 |
14.3 % |
| Closed by Court After Hearing |
115 |
90 |
-21.7 % |
163 |
81.1 % |
139 |
-14.7 % |
116 |
-16.5 % |
| Prsonal Rep/Guardian Appointed |
7,611 |
7,789 |
2.3 % |
8,464 |
8.7 % |
8,647 |
2.2 % |
8,575 |
-0.8 % |
| Total Probate Resolutions |
13,346 |
13,590 |
1.8 % |
14,817 |
9 % |
14,492 |
-2.2 % |
20,087 |
38.6 % |
|
|
| GUARDIANSHIP RESOLUTIONS |
| Dismissal by Clerk |
5 |
35 |
. % |
37 |
5.7 % |
23 |
. % |
78 |
. % |
| Change of Venue |
49 |
32 |
-34.7 % |
28 |
. % |
20 |
. % |
37 |
. % |
| Dismissal |
221 |
204 |
-7.7 % |
485 |
137.7 % |
503 |
3.7 % |
552 |
9.7 % |
| Closed by Court After Hearing |
244 |
140 |
-42.6 % |
380 |
171.4 % |
343 |
-9.7 % |
426 |
24.2 % |
| Uncon./Guardian Appointed |
1,143 |
1,211 |
5.9 % |
1,717 |
41.8 % |
1,816 |
5.8 % |
2,111 |
16.2 % |
| Total Guardianship Resolutions |
1,662 |
1,622 |
-2.4 % |
2,647 |
63.2 % |
2,705 |
2.2 % |
3,204 |
18.4 % |
| Total Resolutions |
15,008 |
15,212 |
1.4 % |
17,464 |
14.8 % |
17,197 |
-1.5 % |
23,291 |
35.4 % |
PROCEEDINGS
PROBATE PROCEEDINGS (4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hearing (2) |
2,635 |
2,374 |
-9.9 % |
3,149 |
32.6 % |
3,316 |
5.3 % |
3,390 |
2.2 % |
| Trial |
10 |
6 |
. % |
5 |
. % |
3 |
. % |
19 |
. % |
| Total Probate Proceedings |
2,645 |
2,380 |
-10 % |
3,154 |
32.5 % |
3,319 |
5.2 % |
3,409 |
2.7 % |
|
|
| GUARDIANSHIP PROCEEDINGS (4) |
| Hearing (3) |
7,438 |
5,350 |
-28.1 % |
9,593 |
79.3 % |
11,910 |
24.2 % |
11,666 |
-2 % |
| Trial |
21 |
15 |
. % |
43 |
. % |
97 |
125.6 % |
146 |
50.5 % |
| Review Hearing |
167 |
126 |
-24.6 % |
358 |
184.1 % |
706 |
97.2 % |
659 |
-6.7 % |
| Total Guardianship Proceedings |
7,626 |
5,491 |
-28 % |
9,994 |
82 % |
12,713 |
27.2 % |
12,471 |
-1.9 % |
| Total Proceedings |
10,280 |
7,879 |
-23.4 % |
16,848 |
113.8 % |
28,384 |
68.5 % |
26,953 |
-5 % |
| Average Proceedings/Resolution |
0.7 |
0.5 |
|
0.8 |
|
0.9 |
|
0.7 |
|
|
|
(1) Percentages not shown when numbers are less than 30.
(2) Probate hearings include pre-resolution/motion conferences, review hearings, and post-resolution motion hearings.
(3) Guardianship hearings include pre-resolution/motion conferences, and post-resolution motion hearings.
(4) Pierce County Superior Court case information is recorded in Legal Information Network Exchange (LINX). Case filings and resolutions are available in the Judicial Information System (JIS). Non-trial and trial proceedings listed above may be incomplete. LINX information is available on the Internet at https://linxonline.co.pierce.wa.up/linxweb/Main.cfm. For further information please contact the Pierce County Clerk by phone at 253-789-7455 or by e-mail at pcclerk@co.pierce.wa.us.
(5) The Guardianship category does not distinguish case activity guardianships involving adults and guardianships involving minors. The Annual Caseload Report for Probate, Guardianship includes separate categories for Guardianships (involving adults) and Minor Guardianship Custody. (a) Between 1/1/2022 and 12/31/2022, the Minor Guardianship/Conservatorship (Gdnsp/Consv) category included: Guardianship, Minor Conservatorship, Minor Guardianship Custody, Other Protective Arrangement, and Standby Minor Guardianship. The Minor Guardianship (MGD) cause of action was end-dated on 12/31/2021. (b) Effective 1/1/2023, Other Protective Arrangement (OPR) and Emergency Guardianship/Conservatorship (EGC) are included in the Guardianship category.
(6) Effective 1/1/2023, Guardianship category includes: Minor Other Protective Arrangement (OPM), and Standby Minor Guardianship (SMG).
|
