Title 35 — Title 35 CITIES AND TOWNS
49 chapters · 1,261 sections in this title.
RCW 35.20.010 Municipal court established—Termination of court—Agreement covering costs of handling resulting criminal cases—Arbitration—Notice.
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(1) There is hereby created and established in each incorporated city of this state having a population of more than four hundred thousand inhabitants, as shown by the federal or state census, whichever is the later, a municipal court, which shall be styled "The Municipal Court o…
RCW 35.20.020 Sessions—Judges may act as magistrates—Night court.
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The municipal court shall be always open except on nonjudicial days. It shall hold regular and special sessions at such times as may be prescribed by the judges thereof. The judges shall have the power to act as magistrates in accordance with the provisions of chapter 10.16 RCW. …
RCW 35.20.030 Jurisdiction—Maximum penalties for criminal violations—Review—Costs.
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The municipal court shall have jurisdiction to try violations of all city ordinances and all other actions brought to enforce or recover license penalties or forfeitures declared or given by any such ordinances. It is empowered to forfeit cash bail or bail bonds and issue executi…
RCW 35.20.090 Trial by jury—Juror's fees.
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In all civil cases and criminal cases where jurisdiction is concurrent with district courts as provided in RCW 35.20.250, within the jurisdiction of the municipal court, the plaintiff or defendant may demand a jury, which shall consist of six citizens of the state who shall be im…
RCW 35.20.100 Departments of court—Jurisdiction and venue—Presiding judge—Costs of election.
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There shall be three departments of the municipal court, which shall be designated as Department Nos. 1, 2 and 3. However, when the administration of justice and the accomplishment of the work of the court make additional departments necessary, the legislative body of the city ma…
RCW 35.20.105 Court administrator.
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There shall be a court administrator of the municipal court appointed by the judges of the municipal court, subject to confirmation by a majority of the legislative body of the city, and removable by the judges of the municipal court subject to like confirmation. Before entering …
RCW 35.20.110 Seal of court—Extent of process.
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The municipal court shall have a seal which shall be the vignette of George Washington, with the words "Seal of The Municipal Court of . . . . . . (name of city), State of Washington," surrounding the vignette. All process from such court runs throughout the state. The supreme co…
RCW 35.20.120 Expenses of court.
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All blanks, books, papers, stationery and furniture necessary for the transaction of business and the keeping of records of the court shall be furnished at the expense of the city, except those expenses incidental to the operation of the court in matters brought before the court …
RCW 35.20.131 Director of traffic violations.
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There shall be a director of the traffic violations bureau or such similar agency of the city as may be created by ordinance of said city. Said director shall be appointed by the judges of the municipal court subject to such civil service laws and rules as may be provided in such…
RCW 35.20.140 Monthly meeting of judges—Rules and regulations of court.
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It shall be the duty of the judges to meet together at least once each month, except during the months of July and August, at such hour and place as they may designate, and at such other times as they may desire, for the consideration of such matters pertaining to the administrat…
RCW 35.20.150 Election of judges—Vacancies.
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The municipal judges shall be elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1958, and on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November every fourth year thereafter by the electorate of the city in which the court is located. The auditor of the county con…
RCW 35.20.155 Municipal court commissioners—Appointment, powers.
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When so authorized by the city legislative authority, the judges of the city may appoint one or more municipal court commissioners. A commissioner must be a registered voter of the city, and shall hold office at the pleasure of the appointing judges. A person appointed as a commi…
RCW 35.20.160 Judges' salaries.
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The total of the salaries of each municipal judge under this chapter shall be fixed by the legislative body of the city at not less than nine thousand dollars per annum, to be paid in monthly or semimonthly installments as for other officials of the city, and such total salaries …
RCW 35.20.170 Qualifications of judges—Practice of law prohibited.
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No person shall be eligible to the office of judge of the municipal court unless he or she shall have been admitted to practice law before the courts of record of this state and is an elector of the city in which he or she files for office. No judge of said court during his or he…
RCW 35.20.175 Judicial officers—Disqualification.
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(1) A municipal court judicial officer shall not preside in any of the following cases:(a) In an action to which the judicial officer is a party, or in which the judicial officer is directly interested, or in which the judicial officer has been an attorney for a party.(b) When th…
RCW 35.20.180 Judges' oath of office, official bonds.
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Every judge of such municipal court, before he or she enters upon the duties of his or her office, shall take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the St…
RCW 35.20.190 Additional judge.
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Whenever the number of departments of the municipal court is increased, the mayor of such city shall appoint a qualified person as provided in RCW 35.20.170 to act as municipal judge until the next general election. He or she shall be paid salaries in accordance with the provisio…
RCW 35.20.200 Judges pro tempore.
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(1) The presiding municipal court judge shall appoint judges pro tempore who shall act in the absence of the regular judges of the court or in addition to the regular judges when the administration of justice and the accomplishment of the work of the court make it necessary. The …
RCW 35.20.205 Judicial officers—Hearing examiner.
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The judges of the municipal court may employ judicial officers to assist in the administration of justice and the accomplishment of the work of the court as said work may be assigned to it by statute or ordinance. The duties and responsibilities of such officers shall be judicial…
RCW 35.20.210 Clerks of court.
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There shall be a chief clerk of the municipal court appointed by the judges of the municipal court subject to such civil service laws and rules as may be provided in such city. After August 11, 1969, those employees connected with the court under civil service status shall be con…
RCW 35.20.220 Powers and duties of chief clerk—Remittance by city treasurer—Interest—Disposition.
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(1) The chief clerk, under the supervision and direction of the court administrator of the municipal court, shall have the custody and care of the books, papers and records of the court. The chief clerk or a deputy shall be present during the session of the court and has the powe…
RCW 35.20.230 Director of probation services—Probation officers—Bailiffs.
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The judges of the municipal court shall appoint a director of probation services who shall, under the direction and supervision of the court administrator of the municipal court, supervise the probation officers of the municipal court. The judges of the municipal court shall also…
RCW 35.20.240 First judges—Transfer of equipment.
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Upon the effective date of this chapter (June 8, 1955), any justice of the peace who was the duly appointed and acting police justice of the city shall become a judge of the municipal court upon his or her filing his or her oath of office and bond as required by this chapter, and…
RCW 35.20.250 Concurrent jurisdiction with superior court and district court.
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The municipal court shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the superior court and district court in all civil and criminal matters as now provided by law for district judges, and a judge thereof may sit in preliminary hearings as magistrate. Fines, penalties, and forfeitures bef…
RCW 35.20.255 Deferral or suspension of sentences—Probation—Maximum term—Transfer to another state.
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(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, judges of the municipal court, in their discretion, shall have the power in all criminal proceedings within their jurisdiction including violations of city ordinances, to defer imposition of any sentence, suspend all or pa…
RCW 35.20.258 Sentencing—Crimes against property—Criminal history check.
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Before a sentence is imposed upon a defendant convicted of a crime against property, the court or the prosecuting authority shall check existing judicial information systems to determine the criminal history of the defendant.[ 2009 c 431 s 18.]Notes:Applicability—2009 c 431: See …
RCW 35.20.260 Subpoenas—Witness fees.
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The court shall have authority to subpoena witnesses as now authorized in superior courts throughout the state. Such witnesses shall be paid according to law with mileage as authorized for witnesses to such cases.[ 1965 c 7 s 35.20.260. Prior: 1955 c 290 s 26.]
RCW 35.20.270 Service of criminal and civil process—Jurisdiction—Costs.
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(1) All criminal and civil process issuing out of courts created under this title shall be directed to the chief of police of the city served by the court and/or to the sheriff of the county in which the court is held and/or the warrant officers and be by them executed according …
RCW 35.20.280 City trial court improvement account—Contribution by city to account—Use of funds.
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Any city operating a municipal court under this chapter that receives state contribution for municipal court judges' salaries under RCW 2.56.030 shall create a city trial court improvement account. An amount equal to one hundred percent of the state's contribution for the payment…
RCW 35.20.290 Applicability of courts open to all act.
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The provisions of RCW 2.28.300 through 2.28.330 apply to municipal courts.[ 2020 c 37 s 8.]Notes:Findings—Short title—2020 c 37: See notes following RCW 2.28.300.
RCW 35.20.910 Construction of other laws.
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All acts or parts of acts which are inconsistent or conflicting with the provisions of this chapter, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. No provision of this chapter shall be construed as repealing or anywise limiting or affecting the jurisdiction of district judges unde…