Judge Nelson K.H. Lee - Superior Court

Requests

Weddings

Judge Lee performs weddings Monday through Friday at 4:30 and on weekends.  He is conversant in Mandarin Chinese and Japanese. SIMPLE Mandarin Chinese OK! 可以使用简单的中文普通话。

Please call 206-477-1441 or email the bailiff at lee.court@kingcounty.gov for availability and fees.

Non-dispositive motions (Local Rule 7(b))

Parties must comply with LR 7 when setting motions without oral argument. Working copies should be addressed to Judge Lee and delivered to the Judge’s mailroom in Room C-203. The Court will not accept working copies delivered directly to the courtroom unless instructed by the Court. Please provide a copy of the proposed order in Word format by emailing them to the bailiff.

Dispositive motions (Motion for Summary Judgment, Local Rule 56, Civil Rule 56)

Parties must contact the Court to schedule a motion with oral argument. Dispositive motions are scheduled on Friday mornings and the Court typically gives an hour for argument. Judge Lee requires that you check with opposing counsel before scheduling any hearing in order to make sure the date and time works for all counsel. To request a hearing date, please email the bailiff and include the case name, cause number and type of hearing requested.

Please note: If your case settles or you need to strike your hearing from the Court’s calendar, please notify the bailiff immediately.

Trial preparation

In compliance with KCLR 16(a)(2), the Court will issue a Pre-Trial Order and Order Requiring Completion of Joint Confirmation of Trial Readiness approximately 6 weeks before trial. Parties must comply fully with the order and follow its due dates.

Settlement conferences

Judge Lee conducts settlement conferences Monday through Friday at 4:30 pm. Please email the bailiff to schedule your settlement conference at least 2 weeks in advance.

Before arriving for your conference, please make sure to read CR 16 and KCLR 16 and comply with all the following requirements:

• All parties must provide a brief 3 to 5 pages typewritten memorandum or letter at least 5 court days prior to the settlement conference. This should outline the factual background, any prior negotiations and positions taken on the outstanding issues between the parties, and any other relevant information. Please include your proposal for settlement.
• All parties must confirm their in-person attendance and provide their memorandum or letter at least 5 business days prior to the settlement conference date or it will be stricken from the Judge’s calendar.
• Clients with settlement authority must be present in person. The conference will not continue if communication with a party not present at the conference is required to resolve the case. We do not allow parties to appear by telephone. A party is not required to attend if another person is authorized to settle the case on their behalf.
• If you reach a full agreement at the conference, the parties can enter a notice of settlement or final orders and strike the trial date.

Judge Lee will not disclose what is discussed in your conference with the trial judge other than to let the judge know whether the case has settled.

Please notify this court immediately if the case settles prior to the settlement conference.

Discovery issues

If the parties cannot resolve a discovery dispute, the parties are still welcome to file a motion. However, the parties may also schedule a conference call with Judge Lee before bringing such motion. He will be available to counsel on both sides via phone within 1 to 3 court days of being contacted by parties.

Zoom Protocols in Criminal Hearings

1. Request for a Zoom Appearance by a Lawyer, Party or Witness

Parties should not presume the court will have the Zoom application running at any particular criminal hearing or calendar, other than hearings handled in Seattle Courtroom 1201 and the Regional Justice Center Courtroom GA. 

If an attorney seeks to have the attorney, party, witness, advocate or victim appear for a hearing via Zoom, the attorney should make a request by notifying court and the opposing counsel at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing, absent extenuating circumstances.  The request must include an explanation for the need for the virtual connection.  The decision whether to allow a Zoom appearance is within each judge’s discretion. 

If the Court allows a Zoom appearance, the Court will provide a remote access link, including any passwords, identification numbers, and other information necessary to access any remote portion of the proceedings over the internet.   Parties, counsel, and witnesses should not share the remote access information with anyone not authorized to participate in the hearing via Zoom without prior permission from the Court.  

2. Zoom Appearances

When remotely accessing the hearing, remote participants shall ensure that their Zoom screen name and the legal name they are using in these proceedings are the same.  If a remote participant attempts to access the trial via Zoom with a name the Court does not recognize, the Court may decline to admit that person from the virtual waiting room. 

The party requesting the Zoom appearance is responsible for monitoring when the person appearing by Zoom has joined the hearing and shall advise the Court as such.  The party should not expect the bailiff to monitor who has joined the Zoom session. 

Anyone appearing by Zoom must join the hearing at the designated time for the hearing.  Persons appearing late should not expected they will be admitted into the hearing. 

Remote hearing participants should conduct themselves in the same way they would if they were physically present in a courtroom.  Remote participants should silence electronic devices other than devices necessary for remote participation, and generally take steps to minimize anything that would distract from the integrity of the proceedings.   

No one is authorized to record the proceedings by any means without prior permission from the Court