Rule RAP 18.13A - Accelerated Review of Juvenile Dependency Disposition Orders, Orders Terminating Parental Rights, Dependency Guardianship Orders, and Orders Entered in Dependency and Dependency Guardianship Proceedings(a)Generally. Juvenile dependency disposition orders and orders terminating parental rights under chapter 13.34 RCW, dependency guardianship orders under chapter 13.36 RCW, and interim orders entered in dependency and dependency guardianship cases when discretionary review has been granted, may be reviewed by a commissioner on the merits by accelerated review as provided in this rule. Review from other orders entered in juvenile dependency and termination actions are not subject to this rule. The provisions of this rule supersede all other provisions of the Rules of Appellate Procedure to the contrary, and this rule shall be construed so that appeals from juvenile dependency disposition orders and orders terminating parental rights under chapter 13.34 RCW, dependency guardianship orders under chapter 13.36 RCW, and interim orders entered in dependency and dependency guardianship cases when discretionary review has been granted shall be heard as expeditiously as possible.(b)Notice of Appeal-Filing with Appellate Court. The notice of appeal must be filed with the trial court in compliance with Title 5 of these rules. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this rule, a timely notice of appeal shall be accepted for filing. A copy of the notice of appeal with proof of service should be filed with the appellate court by the appellant at the time it is filed with the trial court.(c)Motion for Order of Indigency. Parties seeking review at public expense must file a motion for order of indigency in the trial court. Any order of indigency should be filed contemporaneously with the notice of appeal.(d)Consolidation. When one or more appellants seek review of more than one dependency dispositional order, order terminating parental rights, or dependency guardianship order arising from cases tried together, each appellant may file a single statement of arrangements and a single designation of clerk's papers under the lowest trial court cause number. The appellate court normally will consolidate the appeals for purposes of review.(e)Statement of Arrangements. A statement of arrangements should be filed contemporaneously with the notice of appeal or within seven days after discretionary review is accepted. The party seeking review should arrange for the transcription of an original and one copy of the verbatim report of proceedings. If the proceeding being reviewed was recorded electronically, transcription of the recordings shall be completed by a court-approved transcriber in accordance with the procedures developed by the Administrative Office of the Courts. An indigent party should provide the court reporter, transcriber, or court administrator a copy of the order of indigency. A non-indigent party should arrange for payment for the transcription of the report. The party seeking review must file with the trial and appellate courts and serve the statement of arrangements on all parties of record and all named court reporters and file proof of service with the appellate court. The party must indicate the date that the report of proceedings was ordered, the financial arrangements which have been made for payment of transcription costs, the name of each court reporter or other person authorized to prepare the report of proceedings who will be preparing a transcript, the hearing dates, and the trial court judge. If the party seeking review does not intend to provide a report of proceedings, a statement to that effect should be filed in lieu of a statement of arrangements and served on all parties of record. See Form 15B.
(f)Report of Proceedings. The preparation and filing of reports of proceedings in appeals under this rule take precedence over all other appeal records. The format of the verbatim report of proceedings is governed by rule 9.2(e) and (f). The filing and service of the report of proceedings is governed by rule 9.5, except that any motion for extension of time to file the report of proceedings must be accompanied by an affidavit from the court reporter or other person authorized to prepare the report of proceedings demonstrating exceptional circumstances. Extensions otherwise will be denied and sanctions may be imposed.(g)Designation and Filing of Clerk's Papers. The party seeking review should file a designation of clerk's papers with the trial and appellate courts contemporaneously with the notice of appeal or within seven days after discretionary review is accepted. In appeals under this rule, the entire trial court file shall be designated as clerk's papers to be transmitted to the appellate court. All of the exhibits filed in the trial court shall also be designated and transmitted to the appellate court. When discretionary review is granted under this rule, the contents of the clerk's papers shall be governed by RAP 9.6(b). In cases appropriate for consolidation under subsection (d) of this rule, a designation of clerk's papers need only request the preparation of a single trial court file. The clerk shall prepare and transmit the clerk's papers as set forth in rules 9.7 and 9.8, except that a copy of the clerk's papers and the exhibits shall be provided to appellate counsel. The clerk should give priority to the preparation and filing of clerk's papers in appeals under this rule. See Form 15C.(h)Briefing. Unless directed otherwise in a ruling granting discretionary review of an interim order entered in dependency and dependency guardianship cases, parties shall file briefs in accordance with rules 10.3, 10.4, and 18.17.(i)Time for Filing Briefs.(1) Brief of Appellant. The brief of an appellant should be filed with the appellate court within 30 days after the report of proceedings is filed with the trial court; or, if the record on review does not include a report of proceedings, within 30 days after the party seeking review has received an index of clerk's papers and exhibits. Appellant shall append to the brief a copy of the trial court's findings of fact and conclusions of law.(2) Brief of Respondent. The brief of a respondent should be filed with the appellate court within 30 days after service of the brief of appellant. When there is more than one appellant, the respondent may file one brief in response to all appellants.(3) Reply Brief. A reply brief of an appellant should be filed with the appellate court within 15 days after service of the brief of respondent unless the court orders otherwise.(4) Other Briefs. The appellate court may, on its own motion or on motion of a party, authorize or direct the filing of briefs on the merits other than those listed in this rule.(5) Briefs in Consolidated Cases. In consolidated cases, a party may (i) join with one or more other parties in a single brief, or (ii) file a separate brief and adopt by reference any part of the brief of another.(j) Motion procedure controls.(1) Unless otherwise specified in this rule, the motion procedure, including a party's response is governed by Title 17.(2) A motion to modify a Court of Appeals commissioner's ruling terminating review of a motion for accelerated review filed pursuant to RAP18.13A must be served on all persons entitled to notice of the original motion and filed in the appellate court not later than 15 days after the commissioner's ruling is filed in the Court of Appeals. An answer to the motion to modify should be filed not later than 15 days after the motion to modify is filed. A party should not file a reply to an answer unless requested by the appellate court.(k) Supreme Court Review. A decision by the Court of Appeals on accelerated review that relates only to juvenile dependency dispositional orders or orders terminating parental rights is subject to review by the Supreme Court only by a motion for discretionary review on the terms and in the manner provided in rules 13.3(e) and 13.5A. (l)Termination Appeals-Notice of Intent to Deliver Consent to Adoption. When an order terminating parental rights is under review, the Department of Social and Health Services or supervising agency having the right to consent to an adoption should serve a written notice of its intent to deliver consent to adoption. The notice of intent should specify the intended delivery date, and should be served on all parties to the appeal and on anyone appointed to represent the interests of the child, no fewer than 30 days before the intended delivery date. A copy of the notice of intent and a proof of service should be filed in the appellate court. After service of the notice of intent, any party may move the court in which the appeal is pending to stay the order terminating parental rights, but only to the extent it authorized consent to adoption. The department or supervising agency should not deliver its consent to adoption if any party seeks a stay before the intended delivery date, pending a ruling on the motion to stay. The appellate court will hear the motion to stay on an expedited basis. Any stay of enforcement shall terminate upon issuance of the mandate as provided in Rule 12.5, unless otherwise directed by the appellate court. See Form 15D.Wash. R. App. P. RAP 18.13A
Adopted October 2, 2008; Amended effective 4/3/2012; 9/1/2014; 11/20/2018; 12/3/2019; amended effective 9/1/2021.