Title 4, CIVIL PROCEDURE

(1) Any person desiring a change of the person's name or that of the person's child or of an individual subject to guardianship for whom the person has been appointed as guardian, may apply therefor to the district court of any judicial district in the state, by petition setting …

The courts of the state shall recognize and enforce the liability for taxes lawfully imposed by the laws of any other state which extends a like comity in respect to the liability for taxes lawfully imposed by the laws of this state and the officials of such state are hereby auth…

The term "taxes" as used in RCW 4.24.140 shall include: (1) Any and all tax assessments lawfully made whether they be based upon a return or other disclosure of the taxpayer, upon information and belief of the taxing authority, or otherwise; (2) Any and all penalties lawfully imp…

Fines and forfeitures may be recovered by an action at law in the name of the officer or person to whom they are by law given, or in the name of the officer or person who by law is authorized to prosecute for them. [Code 1881 s 657; 1869 p 153 s 597; RRS s 963.] Notes: Limitation…

When an action shall be commenced for a penalty, which by law is not to exceed a certain amount, the action may be commenced for that amount, and if judgment be given for the plaintiff, it may be for such amount or less, in the discretion of the court, in proportion to the offens…

A recovery of a judgment for a penalty or forfeiture by collusion between the plaintiff and defendant, with intent to save the defendant wholly or partially from the consequences contemplated by law, in case when the penalty or forfeiture is given wholly or partly to the person w…

Fines and forfeitures not specially granted or otherwise appropriated by law, when recovered, shall be paid into the school fund of the proper county: PROVIDED, That all fees, fines, forfeitures and penalties collected or assessed by a district court because of the violation of a…

The parent or parents of any minor child under the age of eighteen years who is living with the parent or parents and who shall willfully or maliciously destroy or deface property, real or personal or mixed, or who shall willfully and maliciously inflict personal injury on anothe…

The purpose of RCW 4.24.200 and 4.24.210 is to encourage owners or others in lawful possession and control of land and water areas or channels to make them available to the public for recreational purposes by limiting their liability toward persons entering thereon and toward per…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3) or (4) of this section, any public or private landowners, hydroelectric project owners, or others in lawful possession and control of any lands whether designated resource, rural, or urban, or water areas or channels and lands ad…

In any civil action brought by reason of any person having been detained on or in the immediate vicinity of the premises of a mercantile establishment for the purpose of investigation or questioning as to the ownership of any merchandise, it shall be a defense of such action that…

(1) An adult or emancipated minor who takes possession of any goods, wares, or merchandise displayed or offered for sale by any wholesale or retail store or other mercantile establishment without the consent of the owner or seller, and with the intention of converting such goods,…

A licensed physician shall not be liable for civil damages resulting directly or indirectly from providing, or refusing to provide, a written verification that a person under that physician's care us [is] unable to wear an automotive safety belt. [ 1986 c 152 s 2.] Notes: Safety …

(1)(a) A person licensed by this state to provide health care or related services including, but not limited to, an acupuncturist or acupuncture and Eastern medicine practitioner, a physician, osteopathic physician, dentist, nurse, optometrist, podiatric physician and surgeon, ch…

(1) Any health care provider as defined in RCW 7.70.020 (1) and (2) who, in good faith, files charges or presents evidence against another member of their profession based on the claimed incompetency or gross misconduct of such person before a regularly constituted review committ…

Any member of a health profession listed under RCW 18.130.040 who, in good faith, makes a report, files charges, or presents evidence against another member of a health profession based on the claimed unprofessional conduct as provided in RCW 18.130.180 or inability to practice w…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a member of the board of directors or an officer of any nonprofit corporation is not individually liable for any discretionary decision or failure to make a discretionary decision within his or her official capacity as dir…

In any civil action for damages based on professional negligence against a hospital which is licensed by the state of Washington or against the personnel of any such hospital, or against a member of the healing arts including, but not limited to, an acupuncturist or acupuncture a…

(1) Any person, including but not limited to a volunteer provider of emergency or medical services, who without compensation or the expectation of compensation renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency or who participates in transporting, not for compensation, therefrom…

For the purposes of RCW 4.24.300 the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) "Compensation" has its ordinary meaning but does not include: Nominal payments, reimbursement for expenses, or pension benefits; p…

(1) Any person who, without compensation or the expectation of compensation, renders nonmedical care or assistance at the scene of an emergency or disaster shall not be liable for civil damages resulting from any act or omission in the rendering of such care or assistance other t…

(1) Any person transporting hazardous materials shall clean up any hazardous materials incident that occurs during transportation, and shall take such additional action as may be reasonably necessary after consultation with the designated incident command agency in order to achie…

Any person whose livestock is damaged as a result of actions described in RCW 16.52.205 or any owner of livestock who suffers damage as a result of a willful, unauthorized act described in RCW 9A.56.080, 9A.56.083, or 16.52.320 may bring an action against the person or persons co…

(1) An adult or emancipated minor who commits criminal street gang tagging and graffiti under RCW 9A.48.105 by causing physical damage to the property of another is liable in addition to actual damages, for a penalty to the owner in the amount of the value of the damaged property…

Merchants and other parties who create a database of individuals who have been: Apprehended in the process of committing a property crime; assessed a civil fine or penalty for committing a property crime; or convicted of a property crime are not subject to civil fines or penaltie…

(1) A person may bring a civil action for damages against any person who knowingly causes a law enforcement officer to arrive at a location to contact another person with the intent to: (a) Infringe on the other person's rights under the Washington state or United States Constitu…

(1) In any action for damages, whether based on tort or contract or otherwise, a claim or counterclaim for damages may be litigated in the principal action for malicious prosecution on the ground that the action was instituted with knowledge that the same was false, and unfounded…

All persons removed from premises pursuant to RCW 9A.52.105 on the basis of false statements made by a declarant pursuant to RCW 9A.52.115 shall have a cause of action to recover from the declarant for actual damages, together with costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. [ 2017 c 2…

Any clause in a construction contract, as defined in RCW 4.24.370, which purports to waive, release, or extinguish the rights of a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier to damages or an equitable adjustment arising out of unreasonable delay in performance which delay is caused b…

"Construction contract" for purposes of RCW 4.24.360 means any contract or agreement for the construction, alteration, repair, addition to, subtraction from, improvement to, or maintenance of, any building, highway, road, railroad, excavation, or other structure, project, develop…

The provisions of RCW 4.24.360 shall apply to contracts or agreements entered into after September 1, 1979. [ 1979 ex.s. c 264 s 3.]

No building warden, who acts in good faith, with or without compensation, shall be personally liable for civil damages arising from his or her negligent acts or omissions during the course of assigned duties in assisting others to evacuate industrial, commercial, governmental or …

The definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 4.24.406 unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Domestic animal" means a dog, cat, or other animal that is domesticated and may be kept as a household pet. The term does not include livestock or other farm animals.…

A person who enters a motor vehicle, by force or otherwise, for the purpose of removing a vulnerable person or domestic animal is immune from civil liability for damage to the motor vehicle if the person: (1) Determines the motor vehicle is locked or there is otherwise no reasona…

(1) As used in this section: (a) "Police dog" means a dog used by a law enforcement agency specially trained for law enforcement work and under the control of a dog handler. (b) "Accelerant detection dog" means a dog used exclusively for accelerant detection by the state fire mar…

(1) Except in an action arising out of law enforcement activities resulting in personal injury or death, it is a complete defense to any action for damages for personal injury or wrongful death that the person injured or killed was engaged in the commission of a felony at the tim…

If a person serving a criminal sentence in a federal, state, local, or privately operated correctional facility seeks leave to proceed in state court without payment of filing fees in any civil action or appeal against the state, a state or local governmental agency or entity, or…

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise the following definitions apply throughout RCW 4.24.460: (1) "Nuclear incident" means any occurrence within this state causing, within or without this state, bodily injury, sickness, disease or death; loss or damage to property; or lo…

(1) Operators are liable for failure to exercise ordinary and reasonable care to protect persons and property subject to injury in nuclear incidents. In addition, operators are liable for operational expenses and emergency purchases incurred by local or state governments in respo…

(1) An appointed or elected official or member of the governing body of a public agency is immune from civil liability for damages for any discretionary decision or failure to make a discretionary decision within his or her official capacity, but liability shall remain on the pub…

Any person who is appointed by the state emergency response commission under the authority of Sec. 301(c) of Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11001) to serve on the state hazardous materials planning committee or a local emerge…

(1) The state shall indemnify and hold harmless its employees in the amount of any judgment obtained or fine levied against an employee in any state or federal court, or in the amount of the settlement of a claim, or shall pay the judgment, fine, or settlement, if the act or omis…

(1) The legislature finds and declares application of this section to pending claims and actions clarifies existing state law rather than changes it. Public employees who paid agency or fair share fees as a condition of public employment in accordance with state law and supreme c…

Information provided by citizens concerning potential wrongdoing is vital to effective law enforcement and the efficient operation of government. The legislature finds that the threat of a civil action for damages can act as a deterrent to citizens who wish to report information …

A person who communicates a complaint or information to any branch or agency of federal, state, or local government, or to any self-regulatory organization that regulates persons involved in the securities or futures business and that has been delegated authority by a federal, st…

In order to protect the free flow of information from citizens to their government, an agency receiving a complaint or information under RCW 4.24.510 may intervene in and defend against any suit precipitated by the communication to the agency. In the event that a local government…