§71.5 Purpose and Procedure

• Jurisdiction: Washington

§71.5PURPOSE AND PROCEDURE

The purpose of CR 71 is to provide means by which attorneys may formally relieve themselves of responsibility in pending cases. Court-appointed attorneys may not withdraw absent an order of the court obtained after notice to the client and opposing counsel and after a hearing. Privately retained attorneys generally may withdraw unilaterally by serving notice of intent to withdraw on the client and other parties. Other parties may object to the withdrawal, in which case an attorney may withdraw only by order of the court.

CR 71 also contains provisions governing withdrawal when another attorney is to be substituted, in which case a notice of withdrawal and substitution must be served. The notice must contain the name, address, bar association number, and signature of both the withdrawing and the substituting attorneys. An order of the court is not required for substitution unless the withdrawing attorney is court appointed. In cases...