Judge Guptill's Courtroom Procedures

Judge Rebecca Guptill

Courtroom Practices & Procedures

Attorneys should check in with court staff in the courtroom and keep staff apprised of whether their client is present when arriving in court for a hearing or ex parte matter.

Attorneys should inform court staff of preferred pronouns for their clients and themselves upon check-in, as well as any special needs or circumstances that may apply (e.g. a need for listening device, interpreter, other accommodation.)

Water is allowed in the courtroom. Attorneys and staff assigned to the courtroom may have other beverages. Attorneys not assigned to the courtroom may have other beverages in spill-proof containers.

No food is allowed in the courtroom. Defendants, the general public, and those addressing the court, may not chew gum.

Appropriate courtroom attire is expected. For attorneys, this means compliance with UTCR 3.010. Appropriate courtroom attire for the general public, including Defendants, means dressing respectfully. People wearing shorts, no sleeves, etc… may not be allowed into the court room or may have their cases reset or heard last on the docket depending on the circumstances. Head coverings are allowed for religious and medical purposes only.

Children are generally not allowed in the courtroom. Exceptions will be made based on exigent circumstances, such as a lack of childcare for a litigant on the initial restraining order docket or another emergency-type situation. Outside of such exigent circumstances, people who bring child(ren) to court may not be allowed into the courtroom or may have their cases reset or heard last on the docket depending on the circumstances.

Attorneys must generally stand when addressing the court, except when questioning witnesses or if assigned to the courtroom for the docket.

Cellphones are allowed in the courtroom but must be fully silenced. A person may be asked to remove their cellphone if it makes sound or becomes distracting. Cellphones may be confiscated if a party does not comply with a request to silence, put away or remove their cellphone./>

Email communication with staff is preferred and will receive the fastest response due to the amount of time staff is actively in court. Please make sure to email both Judge Guptill's Judicial Assistant and her Judicial Clerk with all correspondence in order to ensure it is received properly in case one staff person is out of the office or assisting in another courtroom.

Please provide courtesy copies of memoranda, UCJ worksheets, etc… via email when appropriate and not subject to restrictions due to confidentiality issues. Always cc opposing counsel as appropriate.

Please provide opposing counsel's position in your declaration in support of your motions or state a description of your attempt to obtain that position. Please state whether oral argument is requested pursuant to UTCR 4.050(1).

Please mark exhibits in advance and provide copies to opposing counsel. Please note stipulations in advance.

Hearing memoranda are greatly appreciated. Please provide in advance of the hearing whenever possible, preferably by noon the business day prior to the hearing.

Judge Guptill requires counsel to abide by Washington County SLRs and the UTCRs. When in doubt, please review the Washington County SLRs.

To learn more about the new guidelines affecting changes of pleas on the PJ docket starting in 2024, please see “Guidelines for Changes of Pleas on the Presiding Judge Docket.”

Judge Guptill's Courtroom Procedures

Introduction

Courtroom Decorum

Communicating with Chambers

Motions, Hearings, Contested Hearings, Trials

Presiding Judge Guptill’s Guidelines for Changes of Pleas on the PJ Docket