NEWS
KING COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT - CLERK’S ALERT
Notice Regarding Enforcement of LFLR 6 in Family Law Motions Hearings
August 13, 2026
“Game Changing”: Washington State Court Administrator
Earns National Leadership Award
August 19, 2026
For leadership described as “innovative and game changing” by Washington Supreme Court justices, Washington State Court Administrator Dawn Marie Rubio has been presented with the 2026 Mary C. McQueen Award for Excellence & Leadership in Justice System Improvement.
The national award is the highest honor in court administration, named after longtime Washington State Court Administrator Mary McQueen who went on to lead the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) for many years. It is presented jointly by the national Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ), the Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA), the National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO), and the National Association for Court Management (NACM).
Rubio was nominated for the award by Chief Justice Debra Stephens and retired Justice Barbara Madsen, who pointed out the significant challenge of supporting operations and collaboration among hundreds of courts in Washington’s non-unified judicial system.
“Dawn Marie has excelled at engaging all levels of court in building and supporting a governance structure that encourages great innovation and a deep commitment to consensus building,” the justices wrote in their nomination letter. “Her work in Washington has been innovative and game changing. She understands that, by working collaboratively with all justice partners, and grounding our work in accurate data and evidence-based practices, courts can truly save lives and change futures for the better.”
Rubio said the award is a reflection of the dedication and innovation found in Washington’s courts and judicial branch. “I am humbled and honored by the nomination and the award,” she said. “This award is shared with all of us here in Washington for the good work we are doing.”
Rubio leads the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), established by state lawmakers in 1957 to provide professional and technical support to more than 250 courts throughout Washington. The judicial branch agency implements the policies and decisions of the Washington Supreme Court and judicial branch leaders, as well as legislative mandates. AOC provides such statewide services as maintaining modern judicial information systems, research, data gathering, caseload tracking, legal services, judicial education, budget and contract preparation, support for statewide judicial associations and committees, public information and more.
Beginning August 17, 2026, King County Superior Court will begin strict enforcement of LFLR 6(b)(1) and LFLR 6(b)(2) for all Family Law Motions Calendar hearings. These are rules that have been in place since 2023. Increased enforcement is necessary to improve efficiency, reduce backlog, and ensure family law calendars are managed consistently.
All reservations must comply with LFLR 6(b). Hearing reservations that are out of compliance will be stricken.
Expectations:
Motions, supporting documents, and the Notice of Court Date (or order setting hearing, if applicable) must be filed within three calendar days of selecting the hearing date online. Hearings with incomplete or untimely filings at the time of review will be cancelled.
Each motion requires its own reservation in the Family Law Motions Scheduling system. Same‑day reservations may be listed on a single Notice of Court Date. Reservations for different days require separate Notices of Court Date.
Timing of Review:
Beginning August 17, the Court will begin routine review of all pending motions for compliance with LFLR 6(b). Hearings found to be noncompliant will be removed from the calendar and must be re‑noted in accordance with the rule. Enforcement will be ongoing.
What You Need to Do:
Review all upcoming reservations and filings for compliance with LFLR 6.
Make corrections as soon as possible. You will not be notified in advance of the specific review date. If your materials are not filed at the time of review, your hearing will be stricken without further notice.
Strike hearings you no longer need by emailing:
FamilyLawStaffSeattle@kingcounty.gov
FamilyLawStaffMRJC@kingcounty.gov
Questions
Contact: Kristina Ralls, Family Law Manager, kralls@kingcounty.gov
Child Support
The Division of Child Support is considering proposing changes to promote efficiency in the child program. The changes are focused on five areas that we believe could be improved and modernized. We are asking for your feedback on our proposal (also known as agency request legislation).
This is a draft concept that still has several steps before it will be approved to be introduced as legislation for the 2027 Washington state legislative session.
Please provide your feedback by Friday, August 21, 2026 to DCSlegislation@dshs.wa.gov.
Your feedback is an important part of our legislative development process. After reviewing the attached materials, we would appreciate hearing whether you:
Support the proposal.
Have no concerns.
Recommend changes.
Oppose the proposal.
If you recommend changes or oppose the proposal, we would appreciate any additional information you are willing to share regarding your concerns.
We will share your information, comments and position with the Office of Financial Management and the Governor’s Office later this fall when they consider whether to approve our agency request legislation concept. If it is approved, we will then ask legislators to sponsor the proposal and introduce it during the 2027 session.
What is the proposal?
The Division of Child Support is considering changes in the following five areas:
Refining abatement for incarceration
RCW 26.09.320, 26.09.330, 26.09.335, and 26.09.340 would be amended to address lessons learned since the laws went into effect in 2021 and ease the administration and improve effectiveness of the remedy.
2. Emphasizing full faith and credit for Washington administrative child support orders
RCW 74.20A.055 would be amended to clarify that a final administrative order entered in Washington state shall be superseded upon entry of a court order entered by a Washington state superior court, to the extent the two orders are different.
3. Modernizing and clarifying the documentation to attach to a Notice and Finding of Financial Responsibility
RCW 74.20A.056 would be amended regarding what may be attached to a Notice and Finding of Financial Responsibility if the child was born outside of Washington state.
4. Simplifying license suspension by adding a universal license suspension provision
RCW 74.20A.320 would be amended to add a universal provision regarding DCS’s authority to certify a license to the issuing authority for suspension due to noncompliance with a support order.
5. Clarifying the requirements for child support to be redirected from the named payee to the physical custodian of the child
RCW 26.23.035 would be amended to broaden and clarify what is meant by “lawful” physical custody. It would allow other evidence to be submitted instead of a written attestation from the physical custodian, and it would allow DCS to provide the evidence instead of the physical custodian.
Rubio was appointed to the position by the state Supreme Court in January 2019. She had previously worked in judicial branch leadership positions in Utah, Illinois and Florida, as well as with the National Center for State Courts.
In their nominating letter, the justices listed many innovative new programs launched at AOC under Rubio’s oversight to better serve Washington courts and communities, such as:
The Equity & Access program, to provide new support for self-represented persons;
The Office of Family and Youth Justice Programs;
The Blake Refund Bureau, first such program of its kind in the nation;
Expansion of the Washington State Center for Court Research, including a new Data for Justice Program;
The Office of Behavioral Health, to focus on enhancing the courts’ response to behavioral health issues, including expanded therapeutic court support;
New Water Rights Adjudication office;
Trial Court Legal Services office, to support courts with fewer resources.
In addition, Rubio is a strong advocate of mental health support for judicial officers, court staff and AOC workers.
“Dawn Marie and her staff at the AOC are the heart and soul of Washington’s courts, and she recognizes the toll that working in the legal system can take on staff as well as on the judicial officers and court staff who serve the public,” the justices wrote. “She speaks regularly about judicial and staff wellness, the importance of ongoing recognition of good work, and supporting each other to help alleviate the stress of a difficult job that is also in the public eye.”
Rubio’s nomination was supported in letters from court leaders in four other states and from other longtime AOC leaders.
“The Mary C. McQueen Award recognizes individuals whose careers have advanced the administration of justice in meaningful and enduring ways,” AOC leaders wrote. “Dawn Marie Rubio is exceptionally deserving of that recognition.”
Why is DCS proposing these changes?
These provisions prioritize efficient, effective, and accountable government by removing unnecessary administrative burdens for families who use child support services and the staff who provide child support services.Every four years, Washington State takes a fresh look at how it calculates child support — and the next round is coming up in 2027. The Division of Child Support (DCS) is currently accepting applications for the workgroup through September 30, 2026, giving prospective members roughly a year's lead time before deliberations begin.
Why the review happens
The quadrennial review isn't optional. To maintain federal funding, every state with a child support program under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act must establish one set of statewide guidelines for setting and modifying child support award amounts. In Washington, those guidelines live in chapter 26.19 RCW, known as the Washington State Child Support Schedule. Washington State Department of Commerce
Who sits at the table
Workgroup composition is spelled out in detail in RCW 26.19.025(1), and it's a deliberately broad mix of voices. The legislature contributes four members — one from each of the two largest caucuses in both the House and Senate. The governor, working in consultation with DCS, appoints the rest, including:
The DCS director, who chairs the workgroup Washington State Department of Commerce
A family law professor and a representative from the WSBA's family law executive committee
An economist
A representative of the tribal community
A superior court judge and a court commissioner (via the Superior Court Judges' Association)
A representative from the Administrative Office of the Courts
A prosecutor and a legal services representative
An administrative law judge
Three noncustodial parents and three custodial parents — with at least one from each group specifically representing low-income parents
Notably, DSHS emphasizes that it wants parents with direct experience in the child support system who are paying or receiving child support to apply — not just attorneys and officials. Washington State Department of Commerce
DCS's supporting role
While the workgroup does the substantive work, DCS is statutorily required to provide staffing. The agency must prepare a child support review report — pulling together economic data, labor market figures, and case data on deviations and imputed orders — that grounds the workgroup's discussions. DCS also maintains a public-facing webpage, a listserv, and a dedicated email inbox to keep interested parties informed as the process unfolds.
What happens next
By statute, the workgroup must report its findings and any recommended legislative changes back to the legislature — historically due by October 1 following the review year. Anyone interested in applying for one of the governor-appointed seats can do so through the governor's website before the September 30, 2026 deadline.