Washington Courts: News and Information

State of Washington’s Judiciary, 2024: Maintaining Collaborations and Innovation, Facing Court Security Concerns and Attorney Shortage

The Washington judicial branch in 2023 used collaborations and innovations developed during the pandemic, as well as support from state lawmakers, to improve access to courts, launch new case management technology and a unique reimbursement bureau, expand therapeutic courts, study remote court proceedings, improve judicial sharing of protection orders, and much more.

Judicial branch leaders also expressed growing concern over court security and a shortage of public defense attorneys and prosecutors, especially in some rural areas; attentiveness to the use of artificial intelligence in court filings; and the need for new research into the civil legal needs of Washington residents.

“In the past year, Washington courts and judicial branch agencies have built on the knowledge we gained while adjusting operations during the pandemic,” said Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven González. “We learned a great deal about which populations have the biggest barriers to accessing courts, even without a pandemic. We remain committed to collaborating with community and state leaders and supporting innovation to improve access and equity in our courts.”

González released the annual State of the Judiciary report to Governor Jay Inslee, Washington lawmakers and the public Tuesday, outlining the progress, strengths and challenges of the state’s courts and judicial branch agencies over the past year.

The 2024 State of the Judiciary report details the 2023 launch of the first-of-its-kind Blake Refund Bureau, an online reimbursement center engineered to issue millions of dollars of refunds to thousands of people whose simple drug possession convictions were found unconstitutional in the state Supreme Court’s 2021 State v. Blake decision.

The report also describes the pilot launch of a modern case management, eFiling and probation management system that will be implemented in Washington district and municipal courts; the expansion of therapeutic courts across the state and a new interactive web page and directory of the courts; new technology allowing superior court judges across the state to quickly share protection orders; new security and research services for courts with fewer resources, and much more.

The State of the Judiciary report is presented each year by the Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice to the Governor, state lawmakers, elected officials and state residents to keep them informed of the status of their judicial branch.

“We appreciate our collaboration with state lawmakers which has helped the branch develop new technology and supports for courts, and expand needed services for those who come to our courts,” Chief Justice González said. “I also want to express my deep appreciation for everyone who has contributed to the work detailed in this report, and the work of the judicial branch more broadly. I deeply appreciate everything people inside the courts and out have done to help make a more equitable and accessible judicial system for the people of Washington.”