Washington Court of Appeals: Three Divisions

Washington State Has Three Court of Appeals Divisions

The Washington State Court of Appeals is the first stop for most appeals—the place where you challenge a decision from a lower trial court. For a state as large and diverse as Washington, a single court would be overwhelmed. That’s why the Court of Appeals is structured geographically into three distinct divisions.

Understanding how these divisions are organized is a key first step in understanding the appellate system. Think of it as breaking the state into three judicial regions, each with its own Court of Appeals panel to manage the caseload and better serve its specific population.

Here is the breakdown of the three divisions and the general areas they cover:

• Division One

  • Area: This is the busiest division, encompassing the most heavily populated region of the state. It handles appeals from the core Puget Sound area, generally starting from King County and extending north and east toward the Cascade Mountains.

  • Scope: Given the high population density, it deals with a massive volume of cases from cities like Seattle and its surrounding communities.

    
    

• Division Two

  • Area: This division covers the southwestern part of Washington. Its jurisdiction stretches over the lower Puget Sound region, including counties around Tacoma and Olympia, and extends west to cover the Olympic Peninsula and coastal areas.

  • Scope: Division Two’s caseload comes from a mix of urban centers and more geographically diverse areas, including timber and coastal communities.

    
    

• Division Three

  • Area: Division Three serves the largest geographic area of the state, covering virtually all counties east of the Cascade Mountain Range.

  • Scope: This division handles cases from Eastern Washington’s major cities, such as Spokane and Yakima, as well as the vast agricultural and more rural territories across the interior of the state.

While this overview gives you a solid grasp of the court's structure, it’s important to remember that the precise boundary lines are officially defined. As always, consult a lawyer or court staff to determine which division of the court of appeals your case would go to. If you have questions about an appeal, don't hesitate to contact me to discuss your circumstances.