A.  Procedure for:

• Who have properly filed and served a Request for Special Notice, under RCW 11.92.150; and
   

• That the Court has designated under RCW 11.88.090(5)(d) whom it "believes should receive copies of further pleadings filed by the Guardian with respect to the Guardianship."  RCW 11.88.095(1)(g)

If no person is entitled to Notice, then upon your filing of any Petition in the Guardianship, no Notice of its Hearing is required to be sent, and you may simply "Walk the matter through Court." .  This relieves you of having to set a hearing and send Notice, but of course, you will still have to go to Court and have your Order signed by a Judge, in an ex parte hearing.  Depending on the policies of your particular Court and your willingness to pay an additional fee, you may even be able to avoid having to attend any hearing at Court.  See: "Walking a Matter through Court by Mail."

If, however, any person is entitled to Notice, then upon your filing of any Petition in the Guardianship, you must either:

• Set a hearing for the Petition and send Notice of its Hearing to every person on the Notice List of the Guardianship, or
   

• Obtain a Consent to your Petition or a Waiver of Notice (what this website calls a "Consent & Waiver") by all such persons.  If you can obtain all such Consents & Waivers, then you are not required to set any hearing for the Petition and can simply "Walk the matter through Court," either in person or, if the policies of your particular Court permit it, by mail, as if no one were entitled to Notice.

If you must set a hearing and send Notice,

• At Court, file and obtain a Conformed Copy of your:
   

  • Petition and

  • Notice of Hearing & Declaration of Mailing.

Timing:  At least the statutorily required number of days before the hearing --- generally 10 days, although King County requires 14 days despite any statute.  If at King County "Downtown" Courthouse:

 

King County Courthouse

Superior Court Clerk's Office, Room E-609

516 Third Ave.

Seattle, WA 98104-2386

• At least in King County: File Working Copies (including a copy of your proposed Order) with the Probate Department at least 7 days before the hearing.  [This is most conveniently done by mailing your Working Copies to the Probate Department when you mail your Notice + Petition to all interested parties.]  If at King County "Downtown" Courthouse:

King County Courthouse

Ex Parte & Probate Dept., Room W-325

516 Third Ave.

Seattle, WA 98104-2386

• Bring the original and a copy of your Order to the hearing on your Petition.  Assuming no one objects to your Petition, the Judge will likely ask you for your proposed Order.  Hand its original to the Judge (or to the clerk for the Judge) for his/her review and signature.  If you need a certified copy of the signed Order, tell the clerk and obtain the signed Order, so that you can take it to the Clerk's Office and obtain the certified copy.  If you don't need a certified copy, then simply let the clerk keep the signed Order for filing with the Court.  Regardless of whether or not you need a certified copy, conform your copy of the Order for your records.

For further information on:

• Notice requirements, in particular, see:  Satisfying Notice Requirements.
   

• Appearing in Court, in particular, see:  Appearing in Court.
   

• Instructions for filing an Annual Report & Account in King County, see: