General Orders of Division III

In Re The Matter of Resetting Oral Arguments

THE COURT OF APPEALS OF WASHINGTON

     WHEREAS Appellate practitioners occasionally need to have oral arguments reset or continued due to a calendaring conflict or
     other justifiable reason,

     WHEREAS Motion practice is often unnecessary, time-consuming, and places the burden on the clerk's office to determine dates
     available for all counsel, and

     WHEREAS The court desires to streamline the process for resetting oral argument, it is

     ORDERED:

     A party requesting to reset oral argument shall first contact the clerk's office and obtain potential dates for resetting the argument. The court's preference is to keep argument on the same docket if possible.  The requesting party shall then contact opposing counsel, discuss the reason or reasons justifying the need to reset oral argument, and provide the potential dates for resetting the argument. Opposing counsel shall respond promptly, and exercise good faith in accommodating counsel and in agreeing to an available date so argument can be reset.

     If resetting can be agreed, the requesting party shall notify the clerk’s office in writing, with a copy to opposing counsel of the agreed date for resetting.

     If resetting cannot be agreed, the requesting party may then file and serve a motion. In addition to the content required by RAP 17.3(a), the motion should identify opposing counsel’s stated reasons for objecting.

     DATED this 19th day of December, 2022. 

     FOR THE COURT 

     Chief Judge Laurel H. Siddoway, Division III