Bainbridge Island Municipal Court – What You Need To Know

The City of Bainbridge Island recently invested in a beautiful new courthouse. Since it is so new, we thought we better share some information about its location and what to expect inside.

Don’t panic if you go to wrong courthouse. You are still within 5 minutes of the new location. Give yourself plenty of time to find the new location and get situated in the courtroom. We suggest arriving to court at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled court hearing. Parking and going through security can take some time depending on how busy the court calendar is on that day.

The address of the new courthouse is:  8804 Madison Ave. N, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.

You need to turn off of State Hwy 305 onto Madison Avenue North. Obviously, the direction of your turn will depend on whether you are coming from the east/City Center or west/Poulsbo area.

There is not a lot of signage prior to the turn off to the building. However, as you can see, there is a rather substantial sign just off Madison Avenue to indicate the location. It says Ted Spearman Justice Center, named after a former Kitsap County Superior Court Judge. 

The building has plenty of parking for this court. The calendars are typically small so parking is not usually an issue. However, be aware that the police station also shares this location so it is best to arrive at least 15 minutes early to find a spot and get your bearings.

After you enter the building, you will need to go upstairs. At the top, turn to the right and you will see the court’s reception. 

If you want to enter the courtroom, you will need to go through the security. Try to leave any unnecessary items at home or in your car so that you don’t get bogged down in security. Obviously, you should not be carrying any weapons into the courthouse. And, do not forget to turn off your cell phone when entering the courtroom! 

If you have a DUI or other misdemeanor case that was resolved through a Pre-Trial Diversion Agreement (resolved prior to December of 2023) that requires you to appear for court a year or two later, take note of the new location.

It is common on for first time DUI cases to resolve as PDAs that will reduce to a Negligent Driving charge and, since you are technically being sentenced on the Negligent Driving, the judge and prosecutor will want you to be present for that hearing. 

DUI

If you were originally charged with a low level Assault, such as Assault Fourth Degree, these cases, depending on whether you hired an experienced defense attorney, can be dismissed at a later date — often one or two years following the resolution hearing. Since you are not being sentenced to any new “lesser” charge, many courts will not require your presence. 

If your Assault Fourth Degree charge involved the special allegation of Domestic Violence, you may still have a No Contact Order in place. In that case, the victim in the case may want to come to court on the date of dismissal to make sure the No Contact Order is lifted.

It helps if the victim in the case has done some proactive steps to assure the prosecutor and court that there is no further risk of harm. If you hire a private defense attorney, they will usually offer some assistance to the victim with what the court or prosecutor want to hear or see prior to lifting the No Contact Order.

Assault & Domestic Violence

If you are facing a DUI /DWI, Assault, Theft, Hit & Run, or other misdemeanor case in Bainbridge Island, please reach out to our top rated, local, and experienced defense attorneys. Our team is here 7 days a week, including after hours and holidays, to help you get through the stress of a criminal charge. Reach out today. 360-792-1000