Rule 70.1.Appearance by attorney

Group 8: Provisional and Final Remedies · Last amended October 29, 2002 · Last verified July 13, 2026

In one sentenceCR 70.1 tells an attorney how to enter a Washington civil case by serving a notice of appearance, and lets counsel instead limit representation to specific proceedings through a notice of limited appearance that ends on its own once those proceedings are over.

Full Text of Rule 70.1

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b)

(a) Notice of appearance. An attorney admitted to practice in this state may appear for a party by serving a notice of appearance.

(b) Notice of limited appearance. If specifically so stated in a notice of limited appearance filed and served prior to or simultaneous with the proceeding, an attorney’s role may be limited to one or more individual proceedings in the action. Service on an attorney who has made a limited appearance for a party shall be valid (to the extent permitted by statute and rule 5(b)) only in connection with the specific proceedings for which the attorney has appeared, including any hearing or trial at which the attorney appeared and any subsequent motions for presentation of orders. At the conclusion of such proceedings the attorney’s role terminates without the necessity of leave of court, upon the attorney filing notice of completion of limited appearance which notice shall include the client information required by rule 71(c)(1).

Amendment History

Plain-English Summary

Under CR 70.1, an attorney admitted to practice in Washington appears in a case by serving a notice of appearance on the other parties. That single act is what puts counsel on the record for the case going forward.

The rule also recognizes a narrower option: a limited appearance. An attorney can restrict a role to one or more specific proceedings within the action, but only if the notice of limited appearance says so explicitly and is filed and served before, or at the same time as, the proceeding it covers. While that limitation is in place, service on that attorney is valid only for the proceedings named — including any hearing or trial where the attorney appeared and later motions to present orders arising from it. Once those proceedings conclude, the attorney's role ends automatically, without asking the court for leave to withdraw, as soon as the attorney files a notice of completion of limited appearance. That notice has to include the client information required for a Notice of Intent to Withdraw under CR 71(c)(1).

Frequently Asked Questions

How does an attorney formally enter a Washington civil case?

By serving a notice of appearance on the other parties; any attorney admitted to practice in the state may appear for a party this way.

What is a limited appearance?

It is an appearance an attorney restricts to one or more specific proceedings in the action, valid only if stated in a notice of limited appearance filed and served before or at the same time as the proceeding it covers.

Does ending a limited appearance require a court order?

No. The attorney's role terminates on its own once the covered proceedings conclude, as soon as the attorney files a notice of completion of limited appearance.

What must the notice of completion include?

It must include the client information required by CR 71(c)(1), the same information a full Notice of Intent to Withdraw requires.

Is service on an attorney with a limited appearance good for the whole case?

No. It is valid only for the specific proceedings the limited appearance covers, including any hearing or trial where the attorney appeared and follow-up motions to present orders from it.

Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Washington Superior Court Civil Rules, adopted by the Supreme Court of Washington. Last verified July 13, 2026. · Official source

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