Court Recovery Task Force Committees

The Court Recovery Task Force has twelve committees. Each committee is listed and includes a brief overview of the committee's goal and activities. Committee activities may change to address new issues and the dynamic nature of the pandemic. Please contact Jeanne.englert@courts.wa.gov for specific committee details.

Court Recovery Task Force Committee Roster

Appellate Courts Committee

GOAL

Reduce case backlog in superior courts by facilitating the transfer of certain appeals under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) and the Land Use Petition Act (LUPA) from the superior court to the court of appeals.

ACTIVITIES

• Introduced SB 5225 bill that address APA adjudicative appeals and LUPA appeals.
• Partnered with the Superior Court Judicial Administration (SCJA) who is taking the lead on the legislative advocacy efforts.

Child Welfare Committee

GOAL

Form recommendations to improve court practices in child welfare cases resulting in better outcomes for children, youth, and families that include considerations of race equity, trauma, access to justice, technology, and funding in light of the limitations courts have experienced due to the global pandemic.

ACTIVITIES

• Created a prioritized list of goals to address the day-to-day operational changes necessary to deal with and recover from the on-going pandemic and to bring about radical system changes to improve access and improve racial equity outcomes.

Criminal Matters Subcommittees

Juvenile Criminal/Civil

GOAL

Identify and make recommendations on the short-term operation modifications needed to recover from the pandemic and the opportunities for long-term juvenile criminal and civil system changes while considering race, gender, equity, access to justice, practices that align with the science of health youth development, technology, and funding needs when developing committee goals and activities to ensure positive outcomes for youth.

ACTIVITIES

• Identified goals that address probation, truancy, diversions, detention, and community services.
• Identify access to justice considerations that have been impacted by COVID, remote support, supervision and monitoring strategies, and truancy petition impacts, evaluate booking criteria that have reduced numbers, and explore increased and changing youth community services.

Therapeutic Courts

GOAL

Address immediate impacts of COVID on therapeutic and problem-solving courts and court users, and identify what changes should continue past the pandemic.

ACTIVITIES

• Conducted a survey of therapeutic/problem solving courts to gather information on court operational needs and service delivery in the changing environment.
• Identifying broader community support and relationships to address already existing issues (food, shelter, etc.) and how to address new trends (isolation, rental assistance, changes in community resources as a result of COVID).

Adult Criminal

GOAL

Address immediate impacts of COVID on courts and court users and identify what changes should continue past the pandemic.

ACTIVITIES

• Developed three surveys to obtain feedback on COVID impacts from defendants, jurors, and attorneys.
• Explored backlog issues, including option of sending recommendations to appropriate committees/organizations.
• Identifying remote contact/hearing challenges and successes.

Facilities and Logistics Committee

GOAL

Assist the court community in their efforts to respond to the logistical and facility related challenges due to the COVID pandemic.

ACTIVITIES

• Developed and disseminated two task checklists for court administrators to consult when preparing for jury trials and Continuity of Operations Plans (COOP) planning.

1. Tasks needed in order to procure offsite court facilities and coordinate jury activities.
2. Tasks related to updating COOP and planning for potential outbreaks of COVID in courthouses.

• Conducted a survey of courthouse security providers to gather information about challenges of providing courthouse security during the pandemic and the policies and practices that have been put in place to deal with them.
• Created a state-wide communication network of courthouse security professionals and court administrators to exchange information on addressing challenges and establishing best practices related to the pandemic and meeting the requirements of General Rule (GR) 36 (Trial Court Security).

Family Law Committee

GOAL

Research possible customer service improvements for family law litigants.

ACTIVITIES

• Explored feasibility of automated text notifications to litigants.
• Exploring the barriers some litigants may have using digital signatures.
• Exploring feasibility of Informal Family Law Trials. Reviewing rules and contacting court administrators to learn about litigant experiences of informal family law trials.

General Civil Litigation Committee

GOAL

Identify challenges in litigating civil cases including service of process, discovery, pre-trial motions, and trial to get civil litigation moving, improving equal access to justice, and helping provide guidance/best practices.

ACTIVITIES

• Drafting language for use in court orders presuming the use of remote depositions and electronic service of process (other than initial service of process).
• Exploring possible ways to incentivize parties to agree to six-person jury trials. Additionally, the subcommittee is exploring reducing the number of preemptory challenges available to parties in civil litigation trials, which would further reduce space needed for social distancing.
• Researching electronic filing systems utilized in other states.
• Monitoring the extent of the civil litigation backlog and following jurisdictions where fully remote trials are already being carried out.

Lessons Learned Committee

GOAL

Identify and recommend innovations and best practices, and serve as a clearinghouse to assist in coordinating surveys to ensure committees do not duplicate efforts and overload court community respondents.

ACTIVITIES

• Conducted a comprehensive survey of court administrators to collect baseline data on changes in court operations and ongoing needs. Changing Court Practices Amidst COVID and Beyond Report.
• Reviewed four surveys from other task force committees.
• Will develop and implement a court user survey specifically for unrepresented litigants.

Public Outreach Committee

GOAL

Coordinate communication efforts around courts and COVID impacts and resources, share the work of the Task Force, and develop communication materials as needed.

ACTIVITIES

• Expand and utilize the Virtual Court Directory www.courts.wa.gov/COVID19 and rebrand as an Access Directory.
• Execute a communications plan for the eviction for non-payment of rent project to educate the public on how to access the seven pilot project sites in Washington.
• Create a thorough listing of all community and public organizations that courts should reach out to for reentry operations communications.

Technology Committee

GOAL

Establish guidelines for courts to use and reference in order to evaluate and implement court technology.

RECENT ACTIVITIES

• Prepared an outline of specific subjects/issues for each of the core principal objectives that were identified.
• Drafting for publication a detailed list of objectives and guidelines for courts to use in adopting and implementing the use of technology in court proceedings based on Access to Justice and NCSC Guiding Principles.
• Exploring possibilities that guidelines may require modifying court rules and procedures to allow participants to engage courts remotely.