RULE NO. 9
                                     TRIALS (CIVIL) *


I.    Note for Trial Setting

      A.  Any party desiring to bring any issue of fact to trial shall file with
          the County Clerk with copy to the Court Administrator and serve upon
          the other parties a "Note for Trial Setting" in the form prescribed in
          Exemplar 5.

      B.  If no response to the Note for Trial Setting is received by the Court
          Administrator within ten days from the receipt of the moving party's request
          the Court Administrator will schedule the trial and notify all parties of the
          trial date.

          1.  The "Note for Trial Setting" will contain a list of the names, addresses
              and telephone numbers of all persons entitled to notice. All parties have
              the obligation to inform the Court Administrator promptly of any errors
              in the list.

      C.  Each party is allowed one request for a change of date after set without
          hearing, if the request is made within ten judicial days after trial date has
          been set by the Court Administrator. Within ten days after such objection,
          the Court Administrator will set another date and send notice of the new date.
          Additional changes may be allowed for good cause shown upon motion to the Court.


*Sections IV,V,VI,VII,VIII and IX of this Rule also apply to Criminal Trials


II.   Certificate of Readiness


      A.  If the case is a contested civil action, the party filing a Note for
          Trial Setting/ Certificate of Readiness must, at that time, submit a statement
          by counsel with due proof of service showing:


          1.  That the issue has actually been joined, no affirmative pleading remains
              unanswered and all pleadings are on file; and,


          2.  That the parties have completed all necessary oral and physical
              examinations and discovery proceedings or have had or will have
              opportunity to do so prior to trial.


III.  Trial Briefs

      A.  Trial briefs shall be filed and served three days or more before trial;
          the original to be filed, one copy to the Judge and one copy served on
          opposing counsel.

IV.  Jury Instructions

      A.  As provided by CR 51, counsel are requested by the Court to prepare and
          deliver to the Court and opposing counsel on the day on which the case is
          set for trial, the required number of copies of proposed instructions.
          "Washington Pattern Jury Instructions" are recommended for use whenever
          possible. Counsel are requested to prepare instructions as follows:

          1.  One copy which shall be assembled into a set and numbered shall be
              filed with the Clerk;

          2.  One copy which shall be assembled and numbered shall be served on
              opposing counsel;

          3.  One copy which shall be assembled and numbered shall be retained by
              the counsel preparing them;

          4.  One copy which shall be assembled and numbered shall be delivered to
              the Judge; this copy may contain citations listed on each instruction
              but if citations are contained thereon said citation shall be furnished
              to the opposing counsel; and,

          5.  The original without citations and numbers shall be delivered to the Judge.

V.   Voir Dire


      A.  The Trial Judge may examine the jury touching their qualifications to act
          as fair and impartial jurors in the case before the Court, provided that,
          thereafter, the Trial Judge shall give leave to respective counsel to ask the
          jurors such supplementary questions as may be deemed by the Trial Judge proper
          and necessary. The voir dire examination of prospective jurors shall, as
          nearly as possible, be limited to those matters having a reasonably direct
          bearing on prejudice or qualifications and shall not be used by opposing
          counsel as a means of arguing or trying their case on voir dire.

VI.   Peremptory Challenges

      A.  In trial by jury cases, peremptory challenges shall be exercised secretly
          without disclosing the juror being challenged. The plaintiff first and then
          defendant alternately shall mark and initial such challenge upon a sheet
          furnished for that purpose by the bailiff who shall then exhibit such
          challenge to the opposite party, the Clerk and the Court with no disclosure
          to the jury as to the challenging party. A questionnaire prepared by each
          juror will have been submitted to counsel. It is improper for counsel to go
          over the details furnished in this questionnaire consuming unnecessary time
          of the Court.

VII.  Excusing Witnesses

      A.  A witness subpoenaed to attend in any case criminal or civil is dismissed
          and excused from further attendance as soon as he/she has given his/her
          testimony in chief for the party in whose instance he/she was called and has
          been cross-examined thereon, unless either party makes request in open Court
          that the witness may remain in attendance. Witness fees will not be allowed
          any witness after the day on which his/her testimony is given except when the
          witness has, in open Court, been required to remain in further attendance and,
          when so required, the Clerk shall note that fact in the record. If the adverse
          party requests a witness to remain in attendance he/she shall thereafter be
          responsible for the cost and expense occasioned thereby.

VIII. Notice of Settlement

      A.  It shall be the obligation of counsel in all civil and criminal jury and
          non-jury cases to notify the Court Administrator when a case is settled or
          otherwise will not come on for trial as scheduled. Such notice shall be made
          by telephone to the Court Administrator's office during regular business hours.

IX.   Verdicts

      A.  A party or attorney desiring to be present at the return of a jury verdict
          must remain in attendance at the courthouse or be available by telephone.
          If a party or attorney fails to appear within twenty minutes of telephone
          notice to the attorney's office, home or other number left by the attorney,
          the Court may proceed to take the verdict in the absence of such party or
          attorney. In such case, the jury shall be individually polled and the
          identity of any dissenting jurors recorded.

X.    Civil Jury-Cost

      A.  If the trial of the case has been canceled because of a settlement or will
          not be tried for any reason or will be tried without a jury and notification
          to the Clerk of the Court and Court Administrator occurs after a jury has been
          notified to report and less than one full judicial day prior to the time set
          for trial, each party may, in the Court's discretion be discharged with an
          equal share of the per diem cost of one day's service by the number of jurors
          actually reporting for the trial of said case. The forgoing costs will not
          be waived except upon a showing of exceptional circumstances which excuse the
          delay notification, but may, in the discretion of the Court, be charged
          against either or both parties together with any additional costs reasonably
          incurred in anticipation of trial including but not limited to travel expenses
          and loss of earnings of witnesses and the like.


(Adopted effective September 1, 1996)