(a) Dependency Review Hearings.  The status of all dependent children must be reviewed by the Court at least every six months from the beginning date of placement episode or the date dependency is established, whichever is first and shall make findings as required by RCW 13.34.138.  Initial review hearings will be per the procedure set out in LJuCR 3.9(b).  Contested dependency motions will be per the motion procedure set out in LJuCR 3.12 and permanency planning hearings will be per the procedure set out in LJuCR 3.9(c)
    (b) Initial Review.  The first dependency review hearing held after dependency is initially established shall be an in-court review and shall be set within six months from the beginning date of the placement episode and no more than ninety (‘90”) days from entry of the dispositional order, whichever comes first.  The initial review may be a permanency planning hearing when necessary to meet the time frames set forth in RCW 13.34.145(3) or 13.34.134, or when otherwise appropriate.  
    (c) Permanency Planning Review Hearing.  The Court shall hold permanency planning review hearings for every child in out-of-home care pursuant to RCW 13.34.130.  The first permanency planning review hearing shall be held as specified in RCW 13.34.145 and there shall be a subsequent permanency planning review hearing every 12 months thereafter until a permanency planning goal is achieved or the dependency is dismissed, whichever occurs first.  The agency supervising the placement of the child shall submit a permanency plan for care of the child to the parties and the Court.  Any such plan submitted shall not affect efforts to provide services for the reunification of the family pending approval or implementation of the permanency planning goal unless the Court specifically orders otherwise.  All permanency planning review hearings shall be held in court unless all parties to the dependency, including the child, agree in writing to the entry of a permanency planning order.
    (d) Scheduling and Noting Contested Issues.
        (1) Scheduling an Initial Review, Dependency Review, or Permanency Planning Hearing.  Cases set for an initial review, dependency review, or permanency planning hearing shall be heard as follows:  The petitioner shall set the case for hearing by obtaining an open date from the Court Coordinator via email at calendar.dependencyseattle@kingcounty.gov or calendar.dependencykent@kingcounty.gov; any party may move to set a case for a review or permanency planning review hearing to ensure that such a review is held within the time periods specified by law; or the Court on its own motion and order may set a case for a review or permanency planning hearing at any time during the dependency by providing the parties with 14 days notice of the hearing, an identification of the issues to be addressed, and a briefing schedule if appropriate.
        (2) Reports and Contested Issues.
            (A) The person or agency supervising the dependency will file and serve a written report and proposed order to all parties not less than 14 days prior to the scheduled hearing.  Responsive reports of parties not in agreement with the supervising agency’s proposed court order must be filed and served on the supervising person or agency, and all other parties at least seven days prior to the hearing.  Documents in strict reply, if any, shall be filed and served no later than noon of the second judicial day prior to the hearing. All pleadings filed shall contain the name of the judicial officer expected to hear the matter or the courtroom assigned, and the date and time of the hearing in the upper right hand corner of the pleading.  
            (B) Any party wishing to request clarification, a modification, or enforcement of the dispositional order,  prior review or permanency planning order, or are requesting additional relief from the Court shall utilize the procedures set out for motions in LJuCR 3.12, and shall attach to their pleadings a copy of the order sought to be modified. Failure to do so will prevent that party from being heard on the contested issue at the hearing.  If during the course of a hearing, a contested issue arises that could not have been reasonably anticipated by the affected party or their counsel, the Court may consider the contested issue or continue the hearing.
            (C) Working Copies.  Working copies of all pleadings shall be submitted pursuant to LJuCR 3.2(c) by noon three judicial days prior to the hearing, and all replies shall be submitted by the close of business two days prior to the hearing.
        (3) Hearings.  All review and permanency planning hearings shall be in-court hearings and the court will make findings as required by RCW 13.34.138, RCW 13.34.145, and/or other applicable statute.
        (4) Agreed Continuances.  By agreement a hearing may be continued for reasons approved by the court, provided that the hearing may not be continued past the date at which a review or permanency planning order for the child must be entered.  If a hearing is continued past the date at which a review or permanency planning order must be entered for any reason, the Court may enter an order maintaining the status quo pending the hearing.  If the supervising agency fails to submit a timely report, and any party makes a request to the supervising agency, at least seven days prior to the hearing, to continue the hearing due to the agency’s untimely report, the supervising agency shall take responsibility for obtaining a new date from the Court Coordinator via email at calendar.dependencyseattle@kingcounty.gov or calendar.dependencykent@kingcounty.gov, and for seeking an agreed order by all parties to continue the hearing. If an agreed order continuing the hearing is entered in advance of the hearing, the parties need not appear.      

[Effective January 2, 1994; amended effective July 1, 1994; September 1, 1996; September 1, 2004; September 1, 2005; September 1, 2009; September 2, 2013; September 1, 2021.]