Wash. Juv. Ct. R. 7.8

(a) General Provisions.

(1) Responsibility of Court. It shall be the responsibility of the court to ensure an

adjudicatory hearing in accordance with the provisions of this rule to each person charged with a

juvenile offense.

(2) Definitions. For purpose of this rule:

(i) “Pending charge” means the charge for which the allowable time for trial is being

computed.

(ii) “Related charge” means a charge based on the same conduct as the pending charge that

is ultimately filed in juvenile court.

(iii) “Appearance” means the juvenile’s physical presence in the court where the pending

charge was filed. Such presence constitutes appearance only if (A) the prosecutor was notified

of the presence and (B) the presence is contemporaneously noted on the record under the cause

number of the pending charge.

(iv) “Arraignment” means the date determined under JuCR 7.6 and CrR 4.1(b).

(v) “Held in detention” means held in the custody of a detention facility pursuant to the

pending charge. Such detention excludes any period in which a juvenile is on electronic home

monitoring, is being held on an unrelated charge or hold, or is serving a sentence of confinement.

(3) Construction. The allowable time for the adjudicatory hearing shall be computed in

accordance with this rule. If a hearing is timely under the language of this rule but was delayed

by circumstances not addressed in this rule or JuCR 7.6, the pending charge shall not be

dismissed unless the juvenile’s constitutional right to a speedy trial was violated.

(4) Related Charges. The computation of the allowable time for the adjudicatory hearing

on a pending charge shall apply equally to all related charges.

(5) Reporting of Dismissals and Untimely Hearings. The court shall report to the

administrative Office of the Courts, on a form determined by that office, any case in which

(i) the court dismissed a charge on determination pursuant to section (h) that the charge had

not been brought to hearing within the time limit required by this rule, or

(ii) the time limits would have been violated absent the cure period authorized by section

(g).

(b) Time for Adjudicatory Hearing.

(1) Juvenile Held in Detention. A juvenile who is held in detention shall be brought to

hearing within the longer of

(i) 30 days after the commencement date specified in this rule, or

(ii) the time specified in subsection (b)(5).

(2) Juvenile Not Held in Detention. A juvenile who is not held in detention shall be

brought to hearing within the longer of

(i) 60 days after the commencement date specified in this rule, or

(ii) the time specified in subsection (b)(5).

(3) Release of Juvenile. If a juvenile is released from detention before the 30 day time limit

has expired, the limit shall be extended to 60 days.

(4) Return to Detention following Release. If a juvenile was not held in detention at the

time the hearing date was set but is subsequently returned to detention on the same or related

charge, the 60-day limit shall continue to apply. If the juvenile is held in detention when the

hearing is reset following a new commencement date, the 30-day limit shall apply.

(5) Allowable Time after Excluded Period. If any period of time is excluded pursuant to

section (e), the allowable time for the adjudicatory hearing shall not expire earlier than 15 days

after the end of that excluded period.

(c) Commencement date.

(1) Initial Commencement Date. The initial commencement date shall be the date of

arraignment as determined under JuCR 7.6 and CrR 4.1.

(2) Resetting of Commencement Date. On occurrence of one of the following events, a

new commencement date shall be established, and the elapsed time shall be reset to zero. If

more than one of these events occurs, the commencement date shall be the latest of the dates

specified in this subsection.

(i) Waiver. The filing of a written waiver of the juvenile’s rights under this rule signed by

the juvenile. The new commencement date shall be the date specified in the waiver, which shall

not be earlier than the date on which the waiver was filed. If no date is specified, the

commencement date shall be the date of the hearing contemporaneously or subsequently set by

the court.

(ii) Failure to Appear. The failure of the juvenile to appear for any proceeding at which

the juvenile’s appearance was required. The new commencement date shall be the date of the

juvenile’s next appearance.

(iii) New Adjudicatory Hearing. The entry of an order granting a mistrial or new

adjudicatory hearing or allowing the juvenile to withdraw a plea of guilty. The new

commencement date shall be the date the order is entered.

(iv) Appellate Review or Stay. The acceptance of review or grant of a stay by an appellate

court. The new commencement date shall be the date of the juvenile’s appearance that next

follows the receipt by the clerk of the juvenile court of the mandate or written order terminating

review or stay.

(v) Collateral Proceeding. The entry of an order granting a new adjudicatory hearing

pursuant to a person restraint petition, a habeas corpus proceeding, or a motion to vacate

judgment. The new commencement date shall be the date of the juvenile’s appearance that next

follows either the expiration of the time to appeal such order or the receipt by the clerk of the

juvenile court of notice of action terminating the collateral proceeding, whichever comes later.

(vi) Change of Venue. The entry of an order granting a change of venue. The new

commencement date shall be the date of the order.

(vii) Disqualification of Counsel. The disqualification of the defense attorney or

prosecuting attorney. The new commencement date shall be the date of the disqualification.

(d) Setting of Hearing Date--Notice--Objections--Loss of Right to Object.

(1) Initial Setting of Hearing Date. The court shall, within 15 days of the juvenile’s actual

arraignment in juvenile court, set a date for the adjudicatory hearing which is within the time

limits prescribed by this rule and notify counsel for each party of the date set. If a juvenile is not

represented by counsel, the notice shall be given to the juvenile and may be mailed to the

juvenile’s last known address. The notice shall set forth the proper date of the juvenile’s

arraignment and the date set for the hearing.

(2) Resetting of Hearing Date. When the court determines that the hearing date should be

reset for any reason, including but not limited to the applicability of a new commencement date

pursuant to subsection (c)(2) or a period of exclusion pursuant to section (e), the court shall set a

new date for the hearing which is within the time limits prescribed and notify each party of the

date set.

(3) Objection to Hearing Date. A party who objects to the date set upon the ground that it

is not within the time limits prescribed by this rule must, within 10 days after the notice is mailed

or otherwise given, move that the court set an adjudicatory hearing within those time limits.

Such motion shall be promptly noted for hearing by the moving party in accordance with local

procedures. A party who fails, for any reason, to make such a motin shall lose the right to object

that an adjudicatory hearing commenced on such a date is not within the time limits prescribed

by this rule.

(4) Loss of Right to Object. If a hearing date is set outside the time allowed by this rule,

but the defendant lost the right to object to that date pursuant to subsection (d)(3), that date shall

be treated as the last allowable date for the adjudicatory hearing, subject to section (g). A later

hearing date shall be timely only if the commencement date is reset pursuant to subsection (c)(2)

or there is a subsequent excluded period pursuant to section (e) and subsection (b)(5).

(e) Excluded Periods. The following periods shall be excluded in computing the time for

the adjudicatory hearing:

(1) Competency Proceedings. All proceedings related to the competency of the juvenile to

participate in the hearing on the pending charge, beginning on the date when the competency

examination is ordered and terminating when the court enters a written order finding the juvenile

to be competent.

(2) Proceedings on Unrelated Charges. Arraignment, pre-adjudicatory hearing

proceedings, adjudicatory hearing, and disposition hearing on an unrelated charge.

(3) Continuances. Delay granted by the court pursuant to section (f).

(4) Period between Dismissal and Refiling. The time between the dismissal of a charge

and the refilling of the same or related charge.

(5) Disposition of Related Charge. The period between the commencement of an

adjudicatory hearing or the entry of a plea of guilty on one charge and the juvenile’s arraignment

in superior court on a related charge.

(6) Juvenile Subject to foreign or Federal Custody or Conditions. The time during which a

juvenile is detained outside the state of Washington or in a federal facility and the time during

which a juvenile is subject to conditions of release not imposed by a court of the State of

Washington.

(7) Unavoidable or Unforseen Circumstances. Unavoidable or unforeseen circumstances

affecting the time for the adjudicatory hearing beyond the control of the court or the parties.

This exclusion also applies to the cure period of section (g).

(8) Motion for Revision. When a motion for revision of a court commissioner’s ruling is

filed, the time between the court commissioner’s ruling and an order deciding the motion.

(9) Disqualification of Judge. A five-day period of time commencing with the

disqualification of the judge to whom the case is assigned for the adjudicatory hearing.

(f) Continuances. Continuances or other delays may be granted as follows:

(1) Written Agreement. Upon written agreement of the parties, which must be signed by

the alleged juvenile offender or all the alleged offenders, the court may continue the hearing date

to a specified date.

(2) Motion by the Court or a Party. On motion of the court or a party, the court may

continue the hearing to a specified date when such continuance is required in the administration

of justice and the juvenile will not be prejudiced in the presentation of his or her defense. The

motion must be made before the time for the adjudicatory hearing has expired. The court must

state on the record or in writing the reasons for the continuance. The bringing of such motion by

or on behalf of any party waives that party’s objection to the requested delay.

(g) Cure Period. The court may continue the case beyond the limits specified in section

(b) on motion of the court or a party made within five days after the time for the adjudicatory

hearing has expired. Such a continuance may be granted only once in the case upon a finding on

the record or in writing that the juvenile will not be substantially prejudiced in the presentation of

his or her defense. The period of delay shall be for no more than 7 days for a juvenile who is

held in detention, or 28 days for a juvenile not held in detention, from the date that the

continuance is granted. The court may direct the parties to remain in attendance or be on call for

hearing assignment during the cure period.

(h) Dismissal With Prejudice. A charge not brought to adjudicatory hearing within the

time limit determined under this rule shall be dismissed with prejudice. The State shall provide

notice of dismissal to the victim and at the court’s discretion shall allow the victim to address the

court regarding the impact of the crime. No case shall be dismissed for time-to-hearing reasons

except as expressly required by this rule, a statute, or the state or federal constitution.