Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) Public Services has received numerous reports from constituents who have received phishing texts and/or robocalls relating to outstanding Seattle tickets and hearings. SMC does not use robocalls and does not use text messaging to provide notice of outstanding tickets. To verify if you have a ticket… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) has developed three explainer videos as additional tools for guiding court-involved individuals through court processes and procedures. At SMC, we understand that receiving a ticket or being summoned to court can be a stressful time, and that court processes may be difficult to navigate. We are… [ Keep reading ]
On August 25, 2023, Presiding Judge Faye R. Chess and Probation Manager Jason Grant discussed successes and insights from the Court’s three-year Probation Evolution Project, which focused on improving client outcomes and addressing disproportionate impacts on women and people of color. Judge Chess and staff then answered questions from the… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle, Wash.– Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) is pleased to announce Josh Sattler has been selected as the next court administrator. As court administrator, Sattler leads the administrative and operational functions of the court. He was appointed by Presiding Judge Faye R. Chess on May 7, 2023, and his appointment was… [ Keep reading ]
By Victoria Moreland, SMC Community Engagement Advisor The Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) recently completed its Probation Evolution Project, implementing a new probation approach that is more empathetic and supportive to probation clients. This new approach departs from the traditional, punitive-based model and focuses on helping clients succeed in rehabilitation and… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) is pleased to announce the completion of the Probation Evolution Project, an effort focused on improving client outcomes and minimizing disproportionate impacts probation has on women and people of color. SMC thanks everyone who participated in focus groups, webinars, and surveys to share their concerns and… [ Keep reading ]
In March 2023, the Seattle Municipal Court (SMC or Court) completed a research report entitled, “Analysis of Seattle Municipal Court Imposed Criminal Fines and Fees.” The report is in response to a Seattle City Council Statement of Legislative Intent (SLI) SMC-001-A-002 and a recommendation in a Seattle City Auditor 2021… Filed Under: Equity and Accessibility, Fines and Fees, Racial Equity
Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) is partnering with King County Municipal Courts to help individuals resolve their outstanding warrants through the Back on Track warrant amnesty program. The Back on Track program is a regional effort that ensures all individuals have the same opportunity to resolve their warrant, regardless of which… [ Keep reading ]
One very important area of criminal justice reform is in legal financial obligations, or LFOs: fines, fees, costs and restitution imposed by the court. A recent report found that “people of color in Seattle were consistently charged with more fines and fees per capita than White people, across all types of cases,” as this Bloomberg… [ Keep reading ]
Early in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic and the national movement for racial justice sparked by George Floyd’s death, Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) had two community engagement efforts in the works: a court user survey and a series of court user focus groups. SMC has conducted court user surveys in… [ Keep reading ]
