Everson/Nooksack Municipal Court

		
		
                                                      ENMCrR 6.1.
                                   TRIAL BY JURY, PRETRIAL HEARING, READINESS HEARING


    In every criminal case in which the defendant pleads not guilty, the clerk shall set a date for a pretrial
hearing. The purpose of said hearing is for presentation of motions, completion of plea bargaining, or to set a
trial date and readiness hearing. Unless the pretrial hearing is continued to another date or the case is resolved
at the hearing, a trial date shall be scheduled at the pre-trial hearing. If a jury trial date is set a readiness
hearing date will be set.
	
    If the defendant fails to appear at the pretrial hearing without good cause, forfeiture of bail may be ordered
and the court may order a bench warrant for the arrest of the defendant if probable cause is established.

    Prior to an assigned jury trial date, a readiness hearing shall be held. At such hearing, it shall be mandatory
that the prosecuting authority, the defense counsel, and the defendant be present unless otherwise authorized by
the court. At such hearing, the following matters will be concluded:

    (a)  Exchange of witness lists,

    (b)  Providing of any discovery not previously exchanged at the pretrial hearing, and,

    (c)  Motions on legal issues arising subsequent to the pretrial hearing based on new evidence or on matters
related to the trial itself.

    At the readiness hearing, the parties will inform the Court of any issues related to the jury trial date and
raise appropriate motions related to the conduct of the trial.

    Any continuance of the trial date after the readiness hearing shall be authorized by the Judge. The clerk
shall then set a new hearing date in the matter.

    Failure of the defendant to be present at the readiness hearing may result in the issuance of a bench warrant
for failure to appear, forfeiture of bail, and the striking of the jury trial date.