Please review Local Civil Rule 16(E) - All Trial Priority/Readiness forms must be filed with the County Clerk and uploaded on eMotion, as outlined below.
Order which cases will be called in the combined Trial Readiness/Priority Docket (at the Judicial Officer's discretion):
- Criminal cases will be called first
- Domestic cases will follow directly thereafter
- Minor Guardianship Cases
- Civil Cases
Start of Docket/Hearings:
Counsel for represented parties and pro se parties for all case types shall be present, via WebEx or in person, and ready to go at 9:00 a.m. (Benton) or 3:00 p.m. (Franklin).
Trial Priority Status Hearing Form:
- Each counsel for a represented party and each pro se party shall file and upload to eMotion a Trial Priority / Readiness Status Hearing form by:
- In Benton County, that will be a Wednesday before the Monday Trial Priority Docket
- In Franklin County, that will be a Wednesday before the next Monday Trial Priority Docket
For trials (with a scheduled trial priority), interpreter requests should be submitted before end of business on the day trial priority is held and the court called your trial a “go.”
Civil/Domestic/Guardianship Cases:
In order to maximize the courts resources and trial schedule, the court is working on providing parties with viable trial dates that have received a trial readiness hearing date. Additionally, the court will periodically email parties and attorneys to coordinate trial dates for cases that are currently scheduled on trial readiness or trial priority docket.
If parties know that a current trial date (called a “go” at trial priority) is no longer viable, there are impacts to the current trial date, or there are exceptionally long trials 2 weeks or longer, parties must email:
sccourtmanagement@co.benton.wa.us.
For trials without a trial priority parties must email the Judicial Assistant for the specific case type (see list):
Judicial Assistants/Bailiff.
sccourtmanagement@co.benton.wa.us.
For trials without a trial priority parties must email the Judicial Assistant for the specific case type (see list):
Judicial Assistants/Bailiff.
Requests for interpreters:
Requests should be made as far in advance as practical for trial readiness/trial priority hearing or proceeding, but never less than of five (5) business days prior to the scheduled date. Submitting Interpreter Requests. Interpreter Requests must be submitted via email (in the timeframes outlined above) to:
SCRequests@co.benton.wa.us
Requests should be made as far in advance as practical for trial readiness/trial priority hearing or proceeding, but never less than of five (5) business days prior to the scheduled date. Submitting Interpreter Requests. Interpreter Requests must be submitted via email (in the timeframes outlined above) to:
SCRequests@co.benton.wa.us
Per Local General Rule 11(A)(2)
Interpreter Scheduling Requirements, for trial (with a scheduled trial priority), interpreter requests should be submitted before end of business on the day trial priority is held and the court called your trial a “go.”
Criminal Cases:
[Updated September 1, 2024; updated 8/24/25 as to Status Form; updated 9/1/2025; Updated 1/2/2026; updated August 30, 2026; September 8, 2026]