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King County Washington home

Judge Jennifer Petersen

How to contact a King County Superior Court judge and get ready for your trial or motion.
  • Courtroom Number: 3C
  • Bailiff: Linda Nguyen
  • Department: 52
  • Assignment: General Trials

 

 

Rules to Review before Contacting the Court:

Before contacting the Court about your case, please review the following rules, which may answer many procedural questions:

  • Ex Parte Procedures – King County Local Rule (KCLR) 40.1. “Ex parte” means asking the Court for an order without the other party being present.
  • Motions without oral argument – KCLR 7. These are motions decided on written papers only, without a hearing in person or by Zoom.
  • Revision and reconsideration – KCLR 7. “Revision” and “reconsideration” are requests asking the Court to review and change a prior ruling.
  • Trial continuance – KCLR 40. A “continuance” is a request to move a trial date to a later time and for the court to issue an amended case schedule.
  • Summary judgment – Civil Rule (CR) 56. A “summary judgment” motion asks the Court to decide all or part of a case without a trial based on written evidence.
  • Motion to dismiss – CR 12. A “motion to dismiss” asks the Court to end a case or a claim for legal reasons.
  • Motion to set aside judgment – CR 60. A “motion to set aside” asks the Court to cancel or change a judgment that has already been entered.
  • Motion to compel discovery – KCLR 37. A “motion to compel” asks the Court to order a party to provide information or documents requested in discovery.
  • Motion to shorten time – KCLR 7(b)(10). A motion to shorten time asks the Court to change the normal deadlines for hearings or filings.
  • Motion to seal – Local General Rule (LGR) 15. A motion to seal asks the Court to restrict public access to certain documents or information in the court file.

 

Working Copies for Civil Motions

Working copies of motions, responses, and reply pleadings may be submitted via e-Working Copies or to the Judge’s mailroom. The Court does not accept working copies via email unless specifically requested. 

All motions, including stipulated motions, must be noted pursuant to LCR 7(b) and filed with the clerk. Working copies should have the judge’s name and the date and time of the hearing in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of the motion.

Working copies shall be submitted to the Court pursuant to LCR 7(b)(4)(F).  Please be advised that the Clerk’s Office does not provide working copies to the court unless the parties sign up for that additional service.  It is the responsibility of the parties to make sure that the court receives working copies, prior to a hearing, in accordance with LCR 7(b)(4)(F).

For contested motions, the Court will accept proposed order(s) via e-Working Copies or in Word format via email with all parties copied on that email. The Court appreciates updated versions of the proposed order that considers all documentation filed regarding the pending motion.

Stipulations and agreed orders may be submitted via email, to the court via e-Working copies, or to the Judges’ mailroom.

 

Proposed Orders

A “Proposed Order” is the order you want the Court to sign after considering a motion. For every motion, both sides must submit a proposed order. Each proposed order must be completed as you would like it to be signed by the judge. Judge Petersen requires a Word version of all proposed orders. You may submit a Word version of your proposed order:

 

Dispositive Motions and Hearing Requests in Civil Cases

If you are setting a dispositive motion and need a hearing date and time, you must e-mail the Bailiff at petersen.court@kingcounty.gov to schedule time on the Court’s calendar. If you do not have access to e-mail, please call the above number. Dispositive motions are generally set on Friday mornings (at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., or 11 a.m.). Please call or email to schedule your hearing at least 2 months prior to the hearing date you would like to request.

PLEASE NOTE: As of 9/1/2025, pursuant to a rule change, motions for dismissal pursuant to CR 12 are now to be heard without oral argument. The court will no longer schedule hearings on these types of motions. Please note the timeline for consideration has not changed and should be noted pursuant toLCR 12(d).

As there are hundreds of cases on the Court’s caseload competing for limited motion availability, if the moving party elects for any reason not to proceed with the motion, that party shall notify the court to strike the hearing immediately, per KCLCR 7(b)(4)(H).

The Court will provide additional time for hearings involving multi-party cases or complex litigation.  Please advise the bailiff of your request when scheduling.

 

Non-Dispositive Motions

Parties must comply with all the requirements of KCLR 7 when setting motions without oral argument, including providing and filing proof of service of the motion. All non-dispositive motions will be considered by the Court without oral argument unless a party requests oral argument and the Court deems oral argument to be necessary. If you wish to request oral argument, please indicate this request on the front page of your motion or opposition.

The request will be considered when the motion is reviewed on the date for which it is noted. If at that time the Court decides to hear oral argument, the bailiff will contact the parties regarding scheduling. If the Court does not grant oral argument, you will receive a courtesy copy of the Court’s order on the non-dispositive motion once the court enters a ruling.

Most motions do not require oral argument under the Civil Rules or Local Rules. If a party requests oral argument, the motion should be noted as "Oral Argument Requested." After the Court has reviewed all briefing (moving papers, responses, and replies), and if the Court determines oral argument or evidentiary hearing is appropriate, the Bailiff will contact the parties and set a mutually acceptable time for the hearing.

Motions will not be scheduled before Judge Petersen if submitted informally via email. To ensure your case is placed on the calendar, please make sure to:

  1. Contact the Bailiff for a hearing date if it is a dispositive motion that requires oral argument). You do not need to contact the Bailiff for a court hearing if you are scheduling a non-dispositive motion per LCR 7.
  2. File the Notice of Hearing.
  3. File the Motion (via KC SCRIPT).
  4. Serve the Motion to all legal parties.
  5. File proof of service with the court (via KC SCRIPT)
  6. Submit Proposed Orders (Word Format) via e-working copies (Portal)
 

Trial Procedures for Civil Cases

The Court will schedule a pretrial conference with the parties a few weeks before your trial date. At the pretrial conference, the parties should be prepared to address: 

  1. the parties’ readiness for trial;
  2. the anticipated length of trial; 
  3. whether Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has been completed;
  4. special scheduling needs, such as the need for interpreters and/or experts;
 

The pretrial order will provide instructions for submitting electronic exhibits to the court, and you can also find those instructions on the Clerk’s website.

 

Appearing via Zoom

Watch Virtual Meeting Tips.

Ensure your Witnesses and Clients have also watched Virtual Meeting Tips.

Practice with each witness/client prior to joining the hearing/trial.

 

Court Transcripts and Digital Recordings

Court proceedings in Department 52 are digitally recorded using FTR Gold equipment. If you know before a hearing or trial that you will want a copy of the recording (often provided on a CD), please let the courtroom clerk know so they may give you the information you need at the end of the hearing.

If you decide after the hearing or trial that you need a copy of the recording, you may obtain it directly from the Clerk’s Office Copy Center. You will need to submit a completed CD Request Form to the Clerk’s Office.

If the parties wish to request a court reporter for a hearing or trial, please notify the bailiff as early as possible.

 

Weddings

Congratulations! Judge Petersen would be honored to officiate your marriage ceremony.  Judge Petersen is available to perform weddings on weekdays after court hours at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent and at the King County Courthouse in Seattle. Please email the bailiff, Linda Nguyen, at petersen.court@kingcounty.gov for information and to schedule your wedding ceremony.