--- name: wa-submit-order description: > Use this skill after a hearing, when the judge has ruled and the prevailing party needs to submit the proposed order for signature. Triggers include "the judge granted the motion — let's submit the order", "prepare the signed order", "post-hearing order", "apply bench modifications", "order for signature", "the court ruled in my favor — what do I do with the proposed order". Strips the `[PROPOSED]` bracket from the title, applies bench modifications (tracked), adds an approved-as-to-form or notice-of-presentation block, prepares the chambers transmittal or e-filing submission, and tracks compliance deadlines set by the order. Composes with `wa-statewide-format`, `wa-kcdc`, `wa-quality-check`, and `wa-deadlines`. For the initial pre-hearing proposed order, use `wa-draft-order`. version: 0.1.1 --- # Post-Hearing Order Submission After the judge rules from the bench, the prevailing party typically submits the proposed order for signature — with any modifications the court ordered at the hearing. This skill handles the post-hearing workflow: apply bench modifications, update the caption and title, prepare a transmittal / presentation, and file + serve the final order. > **NOT LEGAL ADVICE.** This skill is a procedural and drafting > aid, not legal advice. Verify the bench ruling against the > court's order or recording, and verify current rules and > deadlines before transmitting. Pair with substantive review by > counsel where stakes warrant. ## Inputs to gather Ask the user: 1. **Case folder** — default: workspace folder 2. **Motion ruled on** — "Motion to Compel", "Motion for Default Judgment on Counterclaim", etc. 3. **Hearing date** — the date of the ruling 4. **Existing proposed order** — path to the version that was filed with the motion (or that was presented at the hearing) 5. **Ruling outcome**: - Granted in full (proposed order stands) - Granted in part / denied in part (specify what changed) - Taken under advisement (deferred — don't submit yet) 6. **Bench modifications** — the user's notes / recollection of what the judge said to add, remove, or change (ask for a plain-language list; the agent will translate into order language) 7. **Presentation method** — common options: - KCDC / district court: e-file through the portal as a signed- order submission - Superior court: working copies to chambers (varies by judge) - Ex parte presentation: by appointment, in person 8. **Opposing counsel approval** — will opposing counsel sign "approved as to form"? Required for some orders, optional for most. ## Steps 1. **Load the companion skills.** Read: - `skills/wa-statewide-format/SKILL.md` - `skills/wa-statewide-format/references/templates/proposed-order.md` - If KCDC: `skills/wa-kcdc/SKILL.md` and `skills/wa-kcdc/references/civil-motion-docket.md` 2. **Read the filed proposed order.** Identify: - Caption (court, cause number, parties) - Title — currently "[PROPOSED] ORDER ..." - Findings - Relief paragraphs - Signature block - Presenter block 3. **Update the title** — remove `[PROPOSED]` from the title line. The signed order is no longer proposed; it is the **Order** itself. 4. **Apply bench modifications** — for each change the user describes, update the relevant finding or relief paragraph. Track the changes: ``` BENCH MODIFICATIONS APPLIED: - Finding ¶C — "within 14 days" changed to "within 21 days" (bench modification) - Relief ¶2 — added: "Plaintiff shall produce a privilege log for any withheld documents in the format set forth in CR 26(b)(5)." - Relief ¶6 — struck: "and shall pay reasonable attorney's fees as the prevailing pro se party" (court reserved this for fee briefing) - Relief ¶7 — added: "The fee-and-expense request is reserved. Defendant may submit a declaration and affidavit of fees within 14 days. Plaintiff may respond within 7 days of receipt." ``` Show the user the tracked list; ask them to confirm each modification matches what the judge said. 5. **Check for inconsistencies** — after applying modifications, verify: - Findings still justify the relief granted (some relief may have been struck; make sure the corresponding finding is either struck or re-scoped) - Dates in the relief paragraphs are internally consistent (e.g., if supplementation is due in 21 days and a bill-of-sale preclusion follows in "10 days thereafter," the preclusion date is day 31, not day 24) - No orphaned paragraphs referencing relief that was denied 6. **Signature block** — verify: - Judge's signature line is blank; do **not** pre-fill the date - Presenter block lists the submitting party's name, pro se designation (if applicable), address, phone, email - If opposing counsel approved as to form, add: ``` Approved as to form; notice of presentation waived: _______________________________ [Opposing counsel name], WSBA No. [____] Counsel for Plaintiff ``` - If opposing counsel did **not** approve, add a notice of presentation block: ``` NOTICE OF PRESENTATION PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the undersigned will present the foregoing Order to Judge [name] for signature on [date] at [time], [courtroom / chambers / ex parte]. Opposing counsel was served with this Order on [date]. DATED this ___ day of __________, 20__. _______________________________ [Name], pro se ``` 7. **Generate the final .docx.** Filename convention: `Order_[Short_Motion_Name]_FINAL.docx` or similar. 8. **Quality check.** Run the `wa-quality-check` skill on the .docx before submission. 9. **Prepare the transmittal.** **If KCDC (e-file)**: - E-file the signed-order submission through the portal - Document code for order submission: confirm on the current KCDC documents-allowed-at-portal list (commonly 460680 Proposed Order; post-hearing signed-order submissions may have a different code — check the current list at https://kingcounty.gov/en/court/district-court/courts-jails-legal-system/civil-filings before filing) - Include a brief transmittal cover letter OR use the portal's comment field to note "Order for signature — motion granted [hearing date]; bench modifications applied" **If superior court (working copies to chambers)**: - Prepare a cover letter to the judge's chambers - Deliver per the judge's standing order (email the PDF to chambers for most King County Superior Court judges; hand-deliver or mail for some judges) **If ex parte presentation**: - Schedule an appointment through the judge's bailiff - Bring: clean .docx + PDF + two paper copies + proof of service + original signed declarations if the order references them 10. **Cover letter template** (for chambers submissions): ``` [Date] Hon. [Judge Name] [Court], [Courtroom / Department] [Address] Re: Order on Motion — [Case Short Title] Cause No. [number] Hearing: [date, time] Dear Judge [name]: Enclosed for Your Honor's signature is the Order on [Defendant's / Plaintiff's] [Motion Title], which Your Honor granted [in full / in part] at the hearing on [date]. The Order reflects the bench modifications stated on the record: - [summary of modification 1] - [summary of modification 2] [If applicable: Opposing counsel has approved the Order as to form.] [Or: Opposing counsel was served with this Order on [date]; the 5-day notice of presentation has run. No objection to form has been received.] Thank you for Your Honor's time and attention. Respectfully, [Name][, pro se] [Phone] [Email] ``` 11. **Service.** Serve opposing counsel with the signed-order submission per CRLJ 5 / CR 5 on the same day: - Email (if the parties have agreed or it's an established method in the case) - U.S. Mail (add 3 days to any response deadline) - Personal delivery Attach a Certificate of Service to the filing. 12. **After the judge signs.** Once the court enters the signed order: - Download the signed, entered order from the portal (or pick up from the clerk) - Save as `Order_[Short_Motion_Name]_SIGNED.pdf` - Serve the **signed, entered** order on opposing counsel (some judges require this as a separate step; always safer to do it) - Update the case calendar (via `wa-deadlines`) with any compliance deadlines set by the order (e.g., "Plaintiff supplementation due in 21 days") 13. **Final delivery.** Output: - Final order .docx path (with `computer://` link) - Cover letter .docx path (if chambers submission) - Filing instructions summary - Deadline updates to record via `wa-deadlines` ## Common pitfalls - **Submitting a [PROPOSED] order after the hearing** — remove the bracket from the title; the signed order isn't proposed - **Pre-filling the signature date** — never. The judge dates the order when signing - **Forgetting opposing counsel's approval line** — even when they didn't appear for argument, if they were served and declined to object, document it - **Missing bench modifications** — if the judge said "21 days not 14," the order needs to say 21; the clerk won't catch this - **Relief exceeding what was granted** — if the court reserved fees, don't include the fee amount; reserve it expressly - **Title / caption drift** — use exactly the same caption as the motion; do not abbreviate party names or case number ## Notes - **Under advisement**: if the judge did not rule at the hearing, don't submit. Wait for the written ruling. The court will usually direct who drafts the order after issuing the written ruling - **Ex parte vs. presentation**: most civil-motion orders do not require a separate presentation appearance — the order is presented for signature with the post-hearing submission. Some judges require a five-day notice of presentation before the order is signed if the order was not signed at the bench - **Competing orders**: if opposing counsel submits their own version of the order, the court usually expects the prevailing party to object in writing. Do not let opposing counsel's version be signed without review - **KCDC specific**: the calendar clerks will typically not sign orders; orders are signed by the judge in chambers post-hearing or emailed back to chambers after portal filing. Confirm the judge's standing practice