Washington

Washington court reporting

Depositions, hearings, and trial before a certified court reporter — noticed remote without leave of court, and sworn by the officer wherever the witness answers.

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Coverage

Where we work in Washington

Both federal districts and the state courts between them.

Seattle and the Western District

Seattle depositions and the Western District of Washington docket — technology, commercial, and employment matters on both sides of the Cascades docket.

Tacoma and the South Sound

Pierce County and the Tacoma division courts, for matters that sit south of Seattle but draw the same counsel.

Spokane and the East

The Eastern District — Spokane, Yakima, and Richland — plus remote coverage anywhere a notice can properly set the deposition.

What you get

Remote-first without the friction

Noticed remote, no motion practice

Where the strategy calls for it, the deposition is noticed remote under CR 30(b)(7) with no leave of court required — stated in the notice, not negotiated afterward.

Realtime and rough drafts

An optional realtime feed during the proceeding, an end-of-day rough draft, and expedited or daily-copy turnaround when the calendar requires it.

A certified officer on the record

Testimony sworn and recorded by a Washington CCR, with the certification number on the transcript and notes retained to the WAC standard.

Washington rules

Questions Washington counsel actually ask

Who certifies court reporters in Washington?

The Department of Licensing Court Reporter Program, under the Court Reporting Practice Act (RCW Chapter 18.145). The credential is Certified Court Reporter (CCR) — a certificate, not a license — earned by Washington examination, recognized national certification, or reciprocity. No person may hold themselves out as a court reporter in Washington without it, and every CCR can be verified in the Department's public license lookup.

Does the reporting firm itself need Washington registration?

Washington regulates the individual reporter, not firms: neither RCW Chapter 18.145 nor the implementing rules at WAC Chapter 308-14 contain any agency registration provision. Every duty — certification, transcript standards, record retention — runs to the CCR on the job. Coverage in Washington is arranged through licensed reporters and certified partners. No firm registration is claimed here.

Can a deposition simply be noticed remote, without asking the court?

Yes. Since the October 1, 2024 amendments to CR 30(b)(7) and (h)(7), any party may notice a deposition in person or by remote means without leave of court. An opponent or the deponent must move to object within 3 days of receiving the notice. The deposition is taken where the deponent answers, everyone in the room with the deponent stays audible and visible, and nothing may coach the witness through notes, messages, or gestures.

Who puts the witness on oath in a remote deposition?

The officer before whom the deposition is taken, under CR 30(c) — and the current rules contemplate that officer working remotely, administering the oath and recording the testimony from a different location than the witness. The 2020 rulemaking record describes allowing officers to swear witnesses remotely as the purpose of the change. For a contested matter, confirm the specifics with counsel before the date.

How are credentials maintained and verified?

Certification renews annually with 5 continuing-education units, and the CCR number appears on transcripts, business cards, and advertising under WAC 308-14-130. Reporters retain notes for 3 years after a transcribed proceeding and 10 years where no transcript was ordered. The Department's lookup confirms any reporter in seconds.