Mason County District Court is committed to protecting the safety and security of our community while performing our Constitutional Duties.

Any person who is sick or in quarantine status shall not enter the Courthouse.

Persons entering the Courthouse and District Court Courtrooms will no longer be required to wear a mask. However, masks will be made available to those who wish to wear one, but are discretionary.

Per Administrative Order – 22-010, dated November 2, 2022:

All criminal cases, Civil Protection, Anti-Harassment and other similar order hearings will now transition to in-person, effective immediately.

Hearings where a party has been instructed to appear by ZOOM will still be heard over ZOOM unless the defendant appears in court.

ZOOM shall remain for the public to view proceedings if desired and to provide a means for a person to appear who would have significant difficulty in personally appearing for their hearing either due to their geographical location or illness. Defendants that wish to appear by ZOOM MUST be authorized and approved by the Judge.

The District Court staff, including the judge shall have the discretion in social distancing.

Traffic Infractions – Mitigation and Contested hearings may be held in-person or by ZOOM.

Other CIVIL MATTERS Civil Motion calendars, including Name Changes hearings, shall primarily be conducted on ZOOM. Parties and attorneys will have the option of appearing in-person

Small Claims cases (with the exception of Mediation), Civil trials, Vehicle Impound hearings and Dangerous animal hearings, should be done in-person; however, the Court shall have the discretion to allow remote access.

The Judge must authorize any remote hearings prior to the hearing date.

Refer to ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 22-010

VIRTUAL/TELEPHONIC INSTRUCTIONS

If you are seeking to participate in or observe a court hearing via ZOOM CLICK HERE for Zoom Login Instructions.

Communications with the Mason County District Court can be made by:

• Email at districtcourt@masoncountywa.gov, and/or
• Telephone at (360) 427-9670 ext. 339
• Option 1 for civil matters
• Option 2 for all other matters

Click here to go to District Court Forms page

Honorable George Steele, Judge

Court Administrator: Patricia A. Robinson

Mission Statement

The mission of the Mason County District Court is to administer justice with fairness, equality and integrity, to resolve matters before the court in a timely manner with trained and motivated staff. To provide impartial, courteous and prompt service in a manner that inspires public trust and confidence.

About the Court

The Mason County District Court is a Court of Limited Jurisdiction created by the Washington State Legislature in 1961. Mason County District Court consists of 1 (one) judge, elected for four years, one Administrator and 7 full time support staff.

The Mason County District Court has jurisdiction over criminal, infraction, small claims, civil and miscellaneous cases.

Criminal misdemeanor cases carry a maximum penalty of up to 90 days in jail and a $ 1,000 fine. Criminal gross misdemeanor cases carry a maximum penalty of up to 1 year in jail and a $ 5,000 fine. Some examples of criminal cases heard by the Court are:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
• Domestic Violence Assault
• Driving While license Suspended (DWLS)

Civil Cases Include

• General civil actions with damage claims in the maximum amount of $ 100,000. The court does not hear cases involving title to or possession of real property.
• Small claims actions with money claims in the maximum amount of $5,000. The small claims court may only grant judgment for monetary damages. The Court may not order the other party to return property or do anything except pay money.

Infractions Include

• Traffic violations
• Code Violations

Miscellaneous Proceedings Include

• Protection Order Petitions
• Anti harassment Petitions
• Sexual Assault Petitions
• Name Change Petitions
• Vehicle Impound Hearings
• Dangerous Dog hearings