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Superior Court - Criminal

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1. Is there a special form to schedule a criminal hearing?

Yes. A Scheduling Order is used to schedule a proceeding on a criminal case. The form can be obtained in Superior Court Administration, Room 247, County-City Building, Tacoma. It’s also available in the Forms section of this website.

2. How soon can I schedule a hearing?

At least five (5) court days' notice must be given to all parties. Some motions may require 2 to 3 weeks notice to all parties.

3. Where do I get criminal hearing dates approved?

Superior Court Administration, Room 247 of the County-City Building. Any member of Criminal Administration (CA) or the judicial department assigned to the case can help you schedule a proceeding date.

4. When the prosecuting attorney announces 'No charges filed- final' or No charges filed- pending ( NCF'd)', what does that mean?

The Prosecutor's Office will not be filing charges in Superior Court at this time. Charges may be filed in either Municipal Court or District Court. The defendant will be released around 6 p.m. that day and could be subpoenaed by either court should charges be filed at a later date.

5. If an inmate is being released from jail either on personal recognizance or bail being posted, what time will the inmate be released?

An inmate will be released sometime between 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

6. Will I be able to see an in-custody defendant at a pre-trial conference or omnibus hearing?

A pre-trial conference is an informal hearing held by attorneys and the defendant only. In custody defendant(s) will not appear in court. If you want to know dates that have been set for a particular case, click here to obtain current scheduled hearing information or contact Criminal Administration at (253) 798-2988.

An omnibus hearing is like a pre-trial conference but the attorney, prosecutor and defendant will discuss various elements of the case and decide whether or not they need to set up any motions or a plea date. However, it is possible for the parties to appear before the Court.

7. My friend was arrested last night, when and where will he/she go to court?

If he/she was arrested for a felony, Superior Court arraignments are held at either 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. in one of the Criminal Division courts located on the 2nd floor in the County-City Bldg. To determine if he/she will be seen at 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m, you can check for information on the LINX web page, after 10:30 a.m. under 'Calendars' or search by their name under 'Search'. If you cannot find his/her name on the docket, ask one of the staff members in Room 247 or call the Prosecutor's Office at (253) 798-7400.

8. How can a defendant obtain a copy of the court paperwork from a hearing?

Copies can be obtained from the Court Clerk's Office, Room 110 of the County City Building. There will be a fee to obtain copies. For further information you may contact them at 253-798-7455 or via email [email protected].

9. I am a victim. I want to drop the charges and see the Judge. What do I do?

You may contact the Victim-Witness Unit of the Prosecuting Attorney's Office Room 946 in the County-City building and speak with the Victim's Advocate who is assigned to your case. You may also call (253) 798-7400.

The Victim-Witness Unit
Upholding the rights of victims is a top priority for the Prosecutor's Office. Victims and witnesses of crimes committed in Pierce County can contact the Victim Witness Assistance program for help. Victim-Witness staff provides the following services to thousands of victims every year:

• Written notification of charges, scheduled court dates and victims rights.
• Assistance in completing a Victim Impact Statement.
• Referrals to local social service agencies and programs.
• Accompaniment to court hearings and/or interviews related to the case.
• Assistance in applying for Crime Victims Compensation.
• Requests for restitution for financial loss incurred as a result of the crime.
• Release of property that has been held as evidence, at conclusion of case.

10. How do I go in earlier than the scheduled start of my jail sentence?

You will need to contact your attorney to have your lawyer set this up.

11. How and where do I get bail money returned?

If a person has posted cash bail and no charges are filed (NCF), The Prosecutors Office sends an e-mail to the Sheriff's Department. The person who posted the bail will need to contact the sheriff's department on the first floor of the County-City building where they will be issued a check

If the Sheriff's Department does not receive an e-mail from the Prosecutors Office, the funds will not be released. Or, if the person who posted the bail does not come to the Sheriff's Department, the check will be sent to the person by mail.

Once the case has been charged and assigned a cause number, the bail money is automatically sent to the Clerk's Office. Once the case is closed and the Judgment and Sentence has been filed; the person seeking refund of the bail should go to the Judgments section of the Clerk's Office room 110.

12. Where and when can I take clothes to a defendant for trial?

Take the clothes to the fourth floor of the jail between 8:00 and 8:45 a.m. the day of the trial.

13. What is DAC and where are they located?

DAC stands for Department of Assigned Counsel. A DAC attorney is present in Superior Court at arraignments to represent all felony defendants appearing without a private attorney. In-custody felony defendants are screened for DAC eligibility by Pre-Trial services prior to their arraignment. Defendants summoned for arraignment are screened for DAC eligibility in the courtroom on the day of their arraignment. The files of the defendants determined to be eligible for DAC representation are brought to the DAC offices for processing and attorney assignment. If a defendant is ineligible for DAC representation, the court will set a 'return with attorney' hearing to allow the defendant time to retain his/her own attorney. The defendant and his/her attorney must then return for the hearing to advise the court. If a defendant has been unable to retain an attorney, the defendant must return on the hearing date and advise the court as to the reasons why he/she has been unable to retain an attorney.
The court may then set another return with attorney hearing to allow the defendant more time to retain an attorney, or the court may appoint DAC to represent a defendant through the remaining Superior Court proceedings
Department of Assigned Counsel - 949 Market Street, Suite 334. You can reach them at (253) 798-6062

14. Where and what is DOC?

Department of Corrections- Main office is located at 514 S 13th St., Tacoma, WA 98402. You may also call (253) 207-4700.

15. How do I get a no-contact order removed?

To obtain a packet or to get information regarding the process you will need to contact the Law Library on the first floor of the County-City building. . It’s also available on the Administrative Office of the Courts website at http://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/

16. How do I get a conviction off my record?

To obtain a packet or to get information regarding the process, you will need to contact the Law Library on the first floor of the County-City building. It's also available online at the Administrative Office of the Courts website at http://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/.

17. Who do I contact about setting up community service that was ordered by the court?

Contact your assigned Community Corrections Officer. If you do not have an assigned Community Corrections Officer you will need to contact a non-profit organization.

18. Where can I find a list of treatment resources?

Treatment resources document