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Attorney Admissions

Any attorney who is a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar is eligible for admission to practice in the Western District of Washington. Questions about this process, or any admissions related questions, should be directed to the attorney admission clerk at WAWD_Admissions@wawd.uscourts.gov or  (206) 370-8433.

Note: Attorneys wishing to be admitted to Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court (WAWB) will need to apply for admission in the Western District of Washington District Court (WAWD) before registering to e-file with WAWB.

 

Procedure for Admission (for both WAWD and WAWB)

  • Complete the Petition for Admission to Practice
  • Register for a PACER-Case Search Only account at pacer.gov (if you do not already have an account)
  • Request admission to the Western District of Washington District Court via PACER
  • If your Petition for Admission is complete and correct, you will receive an email requesting payment of admission fee  ($249).
  • Once payment is received, you will receive an email confirming your admission and a Certificate of Admission will be mailed to you.
  • Once you receive your Certificate of admission for WAWD, you must submit an E-file Registration Only request from your PACER account to Western District of Washington Bankruptcy Court before you can e-file with that Court.

For step-by-step instructions, review the Attorney Admissions Guide

 

Ordering Certificates

Attorneys can order two types of certificates from this court:

  • Duplicate Certificate of Admission 
  • Certificate of Good Standing

Certificates of Good Standing can be ordered from the Clerk's Office for $21.00/each.

Duplicate Certificates of Admission can be ordered directly from the Admissions Clerk at WAWD_admissions@wawd.uscourts.gov or 206-370-8433

 

Other Admission Types (WAWD Only)

  • Pro Hac Vice Admissions
    Obtain approval to appear in a specific case if you are not a member admitted to practice in this district. The filing fee is $249.00.
  • Conditional Admissions
    For Federal government attorneys who need to practice in this district.
  • CJA E-filing Registrations
    How to correctly register via PACER with a CJA appointment.
  • Accepting CJA Appointments
    Work with the Federal Public Defender's Office to provide representation to persons who cannot afford counsel in criminal matters.

 

Other Resources