Opinion ID: 2551237
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Untimely Pleadings

Text: ¶ 23 Appellants also contend that the trial court erred in excluding documents to be used in support of their statement of charges at the February 14, 2005 hearing on the merits. The court excluded the materials on the grounds of both untimeliness and relevance. VRP at 24-27. ¶ 24 As an initial matter, the question of whether to accept untimely documents for filing rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. Garza v. McCain Foods, Inc., 124 Wash.App. 908, 917-18, 103 P.3d 848 (2004); Brown v. Peoples Mortgage Co., 48 Wash.App. 554, 559, 739 P.2d 1188 (1987). [5] ¶ 25 Moreover, local rules required that reply briefs and materials be filed in advance of the hearing. LCR 5(b)(1) (Local Court Rules of Thurston County Superior Court). Appellants, however, did not turn in their materials until approximately one hour prior to the February 14, 2005 hearing. The hearing had originally been scheduled for February 7, at which time appellants submitted untimely materials to the court. VRP at 22; CP at 93-136 (documents filed on day of February 7 hearing). Appellants cite no sufficient reason for the untimely filings for the February 14 hearing. See Appellants Br. at 15. Therefore, the trial court acted within its discretion in declining to accept appellants' untimely filings.