Superior Court

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE :

If you have a case pending in Whatcom County Superior Court, please review the Court Orders Re: Covid-19 page. Should you have further questions, please contact your attorney of record.
 
Attention Attorneys: Per the Superior Court Bench, the Whatcom County Clerk cannot accept documents that are not properly signed. This means that typed names, /s/ typed names and cursive typed names are not acceptable. The signature must reflect the actual signature of the individual. ***Pro Se parties are still required to provide original signatures***

CIVIL CALENDAR ZOOM LINKS: If you would like a Zoom link to any of the judge’s Friday Civil Motion Calendars, please contact that judge’s judicial assistant. Not all cases will receive permission to appear by Zoom. Moving parties should request Zoom at the time the hearing is confirmed. Non-moving parties must request to appear by Zoom no later than 3:00 pm on Thursdays.

Court Orders Re: Covid-19

Letter to Jurors

Trial Priority List

About Us

Whatcom County Superior Court is one of 39 Superior Courts in Washington.  Whatcom County has 4 Superior Court Judges elected to four-year terms, and 3 Court Commissioners.

Judges and Commissioners hear and decide cases assigned to them by the Presiding Judge.

The Presiding Judge is elected by the other Superior Court Judges to serve not less than two years.  The Presiding Judge supervises the judicial business of the Superior Court, acts as the spokesperson for the court, directs the court administrator in implementing administrative and general court policy, and performs judicial and administrative duties as set forth in General Rule 29.

The Judges, Court Commissioners and Court Administrator meet regularly to set administrative and general court policy.

Each Judge has a judicial assistant who manages the Judge's caseload, maintains order in the courtroom, supervises jurors, and coordinates courtroom activities.  A courtroom clerk assigned to each court keeps a journal of the proceedings and processes exhibits.

Types of Cases Superior Court handles:

  • Adult Felonies
  • Civil cases - (includes cases involving real property and/or claims in excess of $35,000)
  • Divorce/Child Custody/Child Support matters
  • Probate/guardianships
  • Paternity actions
  • Adoptions
  • Juvenile cases 
  • Mental Illness cases

Superior Court Judges

Robert E. Olson, Presiding Judge, Dept. I
Evan Jones, Judge, Dept. 2
Lee Grochmal, Judge, Dept. 3
David E. Freeman, Judge, Dept. 4

Court Commissioners

Angela A. Cuevas
Ann Vetter-Hansen
Jonathan Richardson
Leon F. Henley, Jr.