The transition from Auburn Municipal Court to King County District Court begins Thursday – expanding and improving access to justice for the residents of South King County.

“Regional partnerships like these make good sense for the public we serve, capturing economies of scale and providing advanced court technology for the residents of Auburn,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine.

Auburn joins 12 other local cities that contract with King County District Court. Under a new inter-local agreement, the City of Auburn will adjudicate civil and criminal matters occurring within the city through King County District Court – South Division. Services will be provided at the same location of the former Auburn Municipal Court, 340 E. Main St.

“By bringing the District Court to the Auburn Justice Center, our residents can still access court services at the same convenient location, while saving the costs of supporting a stand-alone court,” said Mayor Pete Lewis. “Auburn residents will also have many other services that were not available at our municipal court such as small claims hearings, name changes, passport applications, domestic violence and anti-harassment orders.”

“District Court provides a transparent, efficient, and cost-effective approach for providing high-quality municipal court services and expanding the array of services available,” said District Court Presiding Judge Corinna Harn. “Our judges and staff are looking forward to serving the public at the Auburn facility.”

To prepare for the transition, the court will be closed on Thursday and Friday. except for in-custody video hearings that are held in Courtroom 1. District Court services will be available to the public starting Monday, Nov. 5. Hours for the new court are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

King County District Court can be reached at 1-800-325-6165, ext. 59200.