Filing Working Copies

What Are “Working Copies”?
When Are Working Copies Required?
How Are Working Copies Required to Be Marked?
Where and When are Working Copies Required to Be Delivered?
Why Are Working Copies Required at All?

The following discusses Working Copies and a proposed Order for purposes of King County probate practice. See King County LR 98.04(b)(6) Working Copies are required in some other counties — check your county’s Local Rules.

A. What Are “Working Copies”?

“Working Copies” are:

A copy of each document that you have filed with the Clerk’s Office and set a hearing for them to be heard by the Court, and
A copy of your proposed Order (whose original you did not file with the Clerk’s Office, as Clerk’s Offices do not accept proposed Orders) —

That you are required to mark in a specified manner and deliver to the Court’s Probate Department at least so many days in advance of your hearing.

B. When Are Working Copies Required?

In King County, Working Copies are required for all contested matters and those requiring Notice — that is, just about every document that you file with the Court and that is to be heard, with the following exceptions:

A Petition for Letters (appointment of a Personal Representative) as long as no Notice to Decedent’s surviving spouse is required, and

Any matter that you can “Walk through the Court” — that is, just about any matter for which you have a written Consent or Waiver of Notice from all the interested parties.

C. How Are Working Copies Required to Be Marked?

Working Copies are required to be marked on the upper right-hand corner of the first page of each document as follows:

“Working Copies” or “Working Papers.”
The name of the Court calendar, for example, “Probate Review Calendar.”
The date and time of the hearing, for example, “January 2, 2004, 10:30 AM.”
The character of the party presenting them, for example, “Petitioner” or “Objector.”

D. Where and When are Working Copies Required to Be Delivered?

Working Copies are required to be delivered:

To the Probate Department of the Court in which your matter is being heard.
At least 7 days in advance of the hearing date for initiating documents, eg, Petitions and Motions.
By noon 4 days in advance of the hearing date for responsive documents, eg, Objections.
By noon 2 days in advance of the hearing for reply documents, eg, Replies to Objections.

In King County:

Downtown —
Ex Parte & Probate Department
King County Courthouse – Room C-203
516 Third Ave
Seattle, WA 98104

Kent —
Ex Parte & Probate Department
Regional Justice Center – Room 2D
401 Fourth Ave N
Kent, WA 98032

E. Why Are Working Copies Required at All?

“Back in the old days,” Court files consisted of all the “hardcopy” documents filed in a case. Many Courts, such as those in King County, now scan “hardcopy” documents into “electronic” documents and (except for Wills and certain other irreplaceable documents) discard the scanned “hardcopies,” resulting in Court files now being nothing but electronic records of electronic documents (plus the “hardcopy” of any original, filed Will etc.).

With the old system, the Clerk’s Office would collect and deliver to each Judge the Court files for all the cases he/she was scheduled to hear the following day, allowing the Judge to review the documents to be heard and prepare for tomorrow’s hearings. In the absence of hardcopy documents, such is no longer possible. Working Copies serve as their substitute.