Skip to main content

KingCounty.gov is an official government website.

Official government websites use .gov
Website addresses ending in .gov belong to official government organizations in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Only share sensitive information on official, secure websites.
King County Washington home

Photo of Judge John McHale

Courtroom Number: W-965
 
Bailiff: Lisa Zimnisky

Department: 43

Assignment: Criminal

Biography

Judge McHale joined the King County Superior Court bench on January 9, 2017, having been elected to serve. Judge McHale assumed the position previously occupied by Judge William Downing, who retired from the bench.

Judge McHale originally hales from Louisiana. He began his legal career in King County in 1990 as a law clerk/bailiff for retired Superior Court Judge Terrence Carroll. After clerking for Judge Carroll, he served as a Public Defender, as a Deputy Prosecutor in the Criminal and Civil Divisions of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and as a private practice civil litigator. Judge McHale serves as the Court’s Sponsor of the YMCA Law and Government High School Mock Trial Program and enjoys working with students interested in our justice system.

Having worked on both sides of the courtroom in criminal and civil litigation over more than 26 years, Judge McHale understands the hard work that trial lawyers and their staff members put in to get cases into the courtroom. He also understands the fear and uncertainty that litigants feel as they go through the litigation process. Judge McHale expects opposing counsel to treat one another with courtesy and respect during the discovery process and in the courtroom, and he strongly believes that civility in approach serves everyone well in reaching just resolutions.

Dispositive Motions and Hearing Requests

PLEASE NOTE:  

As of 9/1/2025, pursuant to a rule change, motions for dismissal pursuant to CR 12 are now to be heard without oral argument.  The court will no longer schedule hearings on these types of motions.  Please note the timeline for consideration has not changed and should be noted pursuant to LCR 12(d).

 

Motions with Oral Argument are heard on Fridays. This includes motions for Summary Judgment, motions for Restraining Orders, Preliminary Injunctions, and Class Certification hearings. Judge McHale’s Motions with Oral Argument calendar is available below.  The Court is available in one-hour slots which are noted as “Motions with Oral Argument.”  These spots appear for TIME AVAILABLE on this calendar.  Please select a date from this calendar and then check with all opposing counsel or pro se parties to make sure that the date works before contacting the bailiff, as this is required. Doing so reduces the need to reschedule hearings due to conflicts.  The court will not schedule the motion unless all parties have indicated they are available.

Once you have selected a date and confirmed all parties’ availability, you must contact the bailiff to confirm the date is still available.  DO NOT note your motion until the bailiff has sent back confirmation.

Requests for hearing dates are accepted by emailing the bailiff at mchale.court@kingcounty.gov. The Court requires that you must also file and provide a working copy of your Note for Motion within 48 hours after confirming a hearing date.  Per LCR 7(b)(4)(F), the parties are required to provide working copies in support of or opposition to the noted motion no later than the day they are to be served on the opposing party.

Any email request for a dispositive motion hearing must include the following:

  • Case name and cause number
  • Names, phone numbers and email addresses of all counsel
  • Type of hearing and date(s) requested from the available dates on the above calendar.  It is helpful if you select a first and second choice.  Your hearing will be set on your first choice unless it is no longer available.

The following policies and procedures have been implemented by this Court to ensure access to the dispositive motions calendar for all cases.  The Court enforces them strictly as to all parties:

  1. Each motion is allotted 1 hour for argument and ruling. Any cross motion or additional (separately briefed) dispositive motion must also be scheduled with the Court. You may not include those as part of your response to a motion.
  2. All working copies, per LCR 7(b)(4)(F), of the parties’ briefs and accompanying documents must be submitted through either e-working copies or a delivery service of your choice. Working copies must be submitted when they are due to be filed.
  3. As there are hundreds of cases on the Court’s caseload competing for limited motion availability, If the moving party elects for any reason not to proceed with the motion, that party shall notify the court to strike the hearing immediately, per KCLCR 7(b)(4)(H).

The Court will provide additional time on hearings involving multi-party cases or complex litigation.  Please advise the bailiff of your request when scheduling.