March 13, 2020
Contact
Bonnie Woodrow, Municipal Court Services Director, 425-430-6531
Preeti Shridhar, Deputy Public Affairs Administrator, 425-430-6569
Order will run from March 16 through April 3
RENTON, WA – Starting Monday, March 16 and continuing through Friday, April 3, all non-essential hearings scheduled for Renton Municipal Courtwill be continued. The order was issued by Presiding Judge Terry L. Jurado.
Judge Jurado made his decision based on information from Public Health – Seattle & King County and in an abundance of caution.
“We have issued this emergency rule to protect our employees, prosecutors, public defenders, jurors and the public,” said Judge Jurado. The judge indicated the court will be filing an emergency (partial) closure order on Friday, March 13 with the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts.
Judge Jurado has determined that only cases on the jail calendar qualify as essential hearings.
The process for non-essential hearings will start with Renton Municipal Court staff sending out new notices on Monday, March 16. If defendants appear for their hearing, they will be directed to the court clerk’s office to sign for a new hearing or obtain a copy of a notice previously sent.
Prosecutors will not be required to appear for non-essential hearings. Public defenders may choose to be present in order to answer a defendant’s questions.
The Renton Municipal Court will revisit this closure schedule the week of March 30 to determine if further action is necessary.
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About the City of Renton
The City of Renton, Washington, with a population of 104,700 (2019), is located on the southeast shore of Lake Washington, just south of Seattle. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace and favorable business climate have attracted the attention of nationally recognized companies that are providing employees and their families an outstanding quality of life. Renton is the home of Boeing, PACCAR, IKEA, the Seattle Seahawks, and the eternal resting place of Jimi Hendrix. More information can be found on our website, news releases, or Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor pages.