IN CIVIL, CRIMINAL AND CONTESTED INFRACTION CASES, the procedures for perfecting an appeal from the District Court are provided for in the Rules for Appeal of Decision of Courts of Limited Jurisdiction (RALJ, Title 2 of Washington Court Rules). The following steps must be taken within 30 days from entry of judgment:

1. Prepare a written Notice of Appeal, Case Information Cover Sheet (CICS) and file it with the district court. Notice of Appeal forms and CICS forms may be obtained from the clerk of this court.
2. A cashier’s check or money order for $230.00 made payable to Clerk of Superior Court must be included with the Notice of Appeal. The Notice of Appeal and fee of $230.00 on Civil or Contested Cases must be filed with this court within 30 days from entry of Judgment. A $230.00 filing fee is not required for criminal cases.
3. Within 14 days of filing the Notice of Appeal, a Designation of Record to be Transmitted to Superior Court must be filed with this court. Once received, the court has 14 days to prepare the record. Within 14 days after the designation is filed, the clerk of this court shall prepare the record and notify each party that the record is ready to transmit. A fee of $40.00 for all case types will be required to be paid to this district court for the preparation of the record. It is the appellant’s responsibility to have the tape or CD accurately transcribed.

IN A CRIMINAL CASE, the District Court may require you to post a bond to stay the enforcement of the District Court sentence. If the bond is not posted, you are required to comply with the sentence. Even if an Order for waiver of fees (in Forma Pauperis) is signed, this bond is still necessary.

IN A CIVIL CASE, to stay the enforcement of the judgment, you must make a motion in Superior Court or the District Court judgment can be enforced.

IN A SMALL CLAIMS CASE, the party who filed a claim or counterclaim cannot appeal unless the amount claimed exceeds $1,000. No party may appeal a judgment where the amount claimed is less than $250. If an appeal is taken to the superior court, the appealing party is required to follow the procedures set out in Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 12.36. The following steps must be taken within 30 days of the entry of judgment:

1. Prepare a written Notice of Appeal, Case Information Cover Sheet (CICS) and file it with the district court. Notice of Appeal and CICS forms may be obtained from a clerk of this court.
2. Serve a copy of that Notice on the other parties, and file acknowledgment or affidavit of service in district court.
3. Deposit at the district court $230 superior court filing fee either in money order or cashier’s check payable to the Clerk of the Superior Court.
4. Post a bond in a sum equal to twice the amount of the judgment and costs, or twice the amount in controversy whichever is greater, (money order, cashier’s check or surety) made payable to Clerk of the Superior Court at the district court. When the appeal and bond are transferred to superior court, the appealing party may request that the superior court suspend enforcement of the judgment until after the appeal is heard.
5. Pay a $40.00 appeal preparation processing fee made payable to this district court. Upon payment of such costs, the record shall be certified and forwarded to the superior court. The appeal will be considered on the record from this district court.