SCBA News

  • 03/09/2020 4:17 PM | Luigi Colombo (Administrator)

    INFORMATION REGARDING NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

    Due to the recent cases of the COVID-19 virus in nearby counties, Skagit County Superior Court and the Skagit County Facilities Management Division are undertaking daily applications of disinfectant throughout the courthouse.  Additionally, hand sanitizer dispensers are located on the first and second floors of the Courthouse. While we are using our best efforts to keep the Courthouse a safe environment, you are reminded to wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your face and stay home if you are sick.

    TO JURORS:

    Thank you for your willingness to serve.  Our society is based on the rule of law and the Courts cannot stop functioning during this challenging time.  Skagit County Superior Court is committed to performing our Constitutional duties while protecting the safety and security of our community.  

    Until further notice, you are excused from jury service if you meet any of the following criteria:

    • You have a chronic health condition such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes;

    • You are pregnant;

    • You have a weakened immune system; or

    • You are sick or have recently been in contact with someone who is sick. 

    Please contact Superior Court at (360) 416-1200 if you are requesting to be excused for any of the above reasons.

  • 02/21/2020 2:40 PM | Luigi Colombo (Administrator)

    The Judges will be moving from a weekly civil/criminal rotation to quarterly (every three months).  The goal is to provide provide increased consistency and stability to the criminal and civil rotations. The civil rotation Judge will also take over the Juvenile Offender Calendar and the Protection Orders Calendar.

    The Protection Orders calendar will be moved from Tuesday mornings to Tuesday afternoons (1:30 PM).

    In an effort to reduce the amount of cases on the Friday morning Criminal Calendar, the Court is creating an out of custody Arraignment calendar on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 AM. Please docket any out of custody arraignments to this calendar beginning on April 7th.

    Attached is a template of the new calendar with color highlights as to each schedule.

    You may address any questions related to this announcement to

    Lisa West, Administrator
    Skagit County Superior and Juvenile Courts
    Superior Court: 360-416-1206
    Juvenile Court: 360-416-1225

    Weekly Court Schedule 4-2020.pdf

  • 01/13/2020 11:40 AM | Luigi Colombo (Administrator)

    We regret to inform you that SCBA's Free CLE scheduled for 01/13/2020, titled "Low Bono, Unbundled Services, Limited Scope Representation" has been canceled due to snow.

  • 08/29/2019 10:25 AM | Luigi Colombo (Administrator)

    Skagit County BAR:

    It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Heather Shand to serve as Superior Court Commissioner. Heather received her B.A. in Sociology with a Minor in Society and Justice at the University of Washington in June, 1998 and subsequently received her Juris Doctor Law Degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in December, 2000. Additionally, Heather received her Masters of Law from the University of Washington specializing in Taxation in June, 2004. Heather has served in the capacity of Pro-Tem Judge for District Court as well as Pro-Tem Commissioner for Superior Court and has experience in family law including adoptions, guardianships, probates, business, taxation and estate planning. With Heather’s broad experience we anticipate a smooth transition with a tentative start date of September 30th.

    More information regarding an official swearing-in ceremony is forthcoming.

    Best always,

    Lisa West, Administrator
    Skagit County Superior and Juvenile Courts
    Superior Court: 360-416-1206
    Juvenile Court: 360-416-1225

  • 01/03/2019 11:32 AM | Contact Us SCBA

    The Volunteer Lawyer Program held Will Clinics since September of 2018 in four low-income senior housing facilities in the Mount Vernon and Burlington area. As a result, 40 seniors now have completed estate plans, typically consisting of a Will, Durable Power of Attorney for Finances, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Health Care Directive.

    Each of the clinics consisted of three separate sessions to help ensure that the clients had ample opportunities and time to understand estate planning concepts and to make careful decisions. The first session was a general educational presentation on basic estate planning. At the second session, an attorney met individually with each client to review the client’s information and objectives. At the final session, each client met individually with an attorney to review and then sign the documents.

    Thanks to each of the following volunteer lawyers who participated in these clinics:

    Luigi Colombo

    Timothy Lehr

    Hollie Del Vecchio

    Katherine Tarraf

    Richard Hughes

    Michael Winslow

    Special recognition goes to Luigi Colombo for participating in two of the educational and review sessions as well as three of the signing sessions.

     Funding for this and other VLP programs was provided by the Office of Civil Legal Aid and the Legal Foundation of Washington. In addition, the VLP received a technology grant from the local offices of Edward Jones to purchase the needed equipment for these clinics.

  • 08/07/2018 4:06 PM | Luigi Colombo (Administrator)

    In an effort to create consistency, moving forward, all jury instructions must be presented in Arial font, 12 pt. size with 1.5 spacing between lines. 

  • 07/19/2018 3:11 PM | Contact Us SCBA

    The dates for the upcoming Will Clinics are now confirmed.

    The Skagit Volunteer Lawyer Program is coordinating a series of information sessions and workshops to assist low-income elderly individuals by drafting powers of attorney, health care directives, community property agreements and wills.  We are recruiting volunteer attorneys to assist at the workshops, which are scheduled from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on:

    Friday, September 21

    Friday, October 19

    Friday, November 16

    Friday, December 7

    The VLP will provide all the necessary information and completed discussion drafts of the documents.  Attorneys will review those prepared drafts with the participants, make any revisions, and then administer the execution of the documents. Mentorship will be available, so no prior experience in estate planning is required.  This is a fantastic opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in estate planning, while assisting marginalized members of our community.

    For more information, please contact Terry Schaberg at 360.588.5757 or terrys@communityactionskagit.org.


    Image result for clip art elderly people

  • 01/08/2018 10:32 AM | Luigi Colombo (Administrator)

    NOTICE from SUPERIOR COURT

    Please be advised that there will be no regularly scheduled calendars or trials during Judicial Spring Conference - except for ex parte at 1:15 p.m. and criminal rightings at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday which will be heard by a District Court Judge. If you have an emergency order to be signed, please come to Court Administration. We will contact District Court and find out when a judge is available for you.

    Monday – April 9 – No Pro Se Domestic motions or At Risk Youth Calendars

    Tuesday - April 10 – No Dependency Calendar or Family Treatment Court

    Wednesday- April 11 – No Criminal, Paternity or Truancy Calendars or Drug Court

    Thursday – April 12 – No Summary Judgment/RALJ or Preadoption Dependency Calendar

    ITA hearings will be held as usual on Tuesday, April 10, and Wednesday, April 11.

    Criminal In-Custody and Juvenile Calendars will be held as usual on Thursday, April 12.

    All Friday calendars will be held as usual.

    There will be a special Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Protection Order calendar on Thursday, April 12, at 9:30 a.m.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

    Thank you.

    Melissa Beaton
    Superior Court Manager
    Skagit County Superior Court
    205 W. Kincaid, Room 202
    Mount Vernon, WA 98273
    360-416-1207


  • 12/29/2017 12:20 PM | Luigi Colombo (Administrator)

    SKAGIT COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

    For Immediate Release:  December 28, 2017
    Contact: Lisa Tremblay, Administrator, Superior and Juvenile Courts
    (360) 416-1206 or 416-1225
    lisat@co.skagit.wa.us


    Skagit County Superior Court is happy to announce the appointment of Gwen Halliday to serve as Superior Court Commissioner.  G. Brian Paxton is retiring after serving as Superior Court Commissioner since 2006.

    Gwen brings 27 years of experience practicing law.  She earned a bachelor's degree from Whitworth College and a law degree from the University of Washington Law School. She worked for the Attorney General's Office in Spokane before being appointed a deputy prosecutor for Skagit County. For the past five years, she has also served as a deputy prosecutor in San Juan County.

    Gwen is an active member of the community.  She served on the Board of Directors for Conway School District and Skagit Habitat for Humanity.  She has also served in numerous roles with the Boy Scouts of America including District Chair and Activities Chair for the Mount Baker Council.    

    Gwen will begin her new role as Superior Court Commissioner on January 28, 2018.

  • 11/15/2017 1:34 PM | Luigi Colombo (Administrator)

    The Skagit County Bar Association is circulating this important survey to its past and current members.

    SURVEY REGARDING MOVING FEDERAL CVB PROCEEDINGS VENUE TO MOUNT VERNON, WA

    Dear Members of the Bar in Skagit County:

    Magistrate Judge Paula McCandlis has asked our court to examine whether we can move Civil Violations Bureau (CVB) proceedings from the current location at the Bellingham Municipal Court to the new Skagit County Community Justice Center in Mount Vernon.  Chief Judge Ricardo S. Martinez supports exploring this request.

    CVB proceedings include pleas, sentencings, and non-jury trials, on petty offense and misdemeanor violations taking place in national parks or other federal enclaves.  CVB defendants are scheduled to appear on a specific day and time, and are given the opportunity to consult with prosecutors and defense counsel in the courtroom.  Most violations  require only one court appearance.

    We moved our CVB proceedings from the old Bellingham Federal Building to the Bellingham Municipal Court in September, 2016.  Judge McCandlis has been conducting court there the first Tuesday of every month starting at 5 pm.  We have court security officers screen all members of the public for weapons before they enter the courtroom.

    We examined the defendant address data from the last three years and we noted virtually all of the defendants who received citations were from areas much further south than Bellingham.  We suggest moving the proceedings will be more convenient for the defendants and others travelling for court.

    The Skagit County Community Justice Center is a new facility near I-5.  It is 27 miles south of Bellingham.  It has a full size courtroom near the public entrance, a screening station for security officers, and plenty of parking.  There is also a separate secure entrance for judges into chambers.

    In order to actually move the proceedings, the request must first be approved by the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council.  Then we have to have the approval of the Judicial Conference Committee on Court Administration and Case Management (CACM).  Once we have the approvals of the Council and CACM, we need to formally request approval from the Judicial Conference of the U.S (JCUS).  Once JCUS approves, the Judiciary will introduce legislation in Congress to add Mount Vernon as a place of holding court in Western Washington.  Once the change is made to the statute to add Mount Vernon as a place of holding court, we can work on a contract with Skagit County to use the facility for our proceedings.

    One important element in considering this request is input from the bar.

    We have developed an on-line survey to seek input from the local bar members in Skagit County.   We welcome your input as we explore moving our proceedings to Mount Vernon.  If you are a member of the Washington State Bar Association residing or practicing in Skagit County please complete the survey by clicking the link below.

    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NQHQZBT

    Thank you.

    Bill McCool
    District Court Executive/Clerk of Court
    U.S. District Court
    Western District of Washington


Skagit County Bar Association
PO Box 57, Mount Vernon WA 98273

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