Title 3 — Title 3 DISTRICT COURTS—COURTS OF LIMITED JURISDICTION

Any city or town with a population of four hundred thousand or less may by ordinance provide for an inferior court to be known and designated as a municipal court, which shall be entitled "The Municipal Court of . . . . . . . . . (insert name of city or town)," hereinafter design…

The municipal court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over traffic infractions arising under city ordinances and exclusive original criminal jurisdiction of all violations of city ordinances duly adopted by the city and shall have original jurisdiction of all other actio…

Every city or town may establish and operate under the supervision of the municipal court a violations bureau to assist the court in processing traffic cases. Each municipal court shall designate the specific traffic offenses and traffic infractions under city or town ordinances …

Within thirty days after the effective date of the ordinance creating the municipal court, the mayor of each city or town shall appoint a municipal judge or judges of the municipal court for a term of four years. The terms of judges serving on July 1, 1984, and municipal judges w…

(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…

The legislative authority of the city or town may, by ordinance, provide that the position of municipal judge within the city or town shall be an elective position. The ordinance shall provide for the qualifications of the municipal judge which shall be the same as the qualificat…

Notwithstanding RCW 3.50.040 and 3.50.050, judicial positions may be filled only by election under the following circumstances:(1) Each full-time equivalent judicial position shall be filled by election. This requirement applies regardless of how many judges are employed to fill …

A judge of a municipal court need not be a resident of the city in which the court is created, but must be a resident of the county in which the city is located.[ 1993 c 317 s 6.]Notes:Severability—Effective date—1993 c 317: See notes following RCW 3.50.810.

A city or town electing to establish a municipal court pursuant to this chapter may terminate such court by adoption of an appropriate ordinance. However no municipal court may be terminated unless the municipality has complied with RCW 3.50.805, 3.50.810, 35.22.425, * 35.23.595,…

Additional full or part time judges may be appointed or elected, as provided by ordinance of the legislative body of the city or town when public interest and the administration of justice makes such additional judge or judges necessary.[ 1984 c 258 s 109; 1961 c 299 s 56.]Notes:…

(1) One or more court commissioners may be appointed by a judge of the municipal court.(2) Each commissioner holds office at the pleasure of the appointing judge.(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, a commissioner has such power, authority, and jurisdiction i…

Salaries of municipal court judges shall be fixed by ordinance. All costs of operating the municipal court, including but not limited to salaries of judges and court employees, dockets, books of records, forms, furnishings, and supplies, shall be paid wholly out of the funds of t…

(1) In addition to the designation of a presiding judge pro tempore for a single judge court as provided in RCW 3.50.090(2) [subsection (2) of this section], the presiding municipal court judge may designate one or more persons as judges pro tem to serve in the absence or disabil…

During any vacancy that occurs in a single judge court pursuant to RCW 3.50.093 or 3.50.095, a presiding judge pro tempore who has been predesignated pursuant to court rule or appointed pursuant to RCW 2.56.040(2) may fulfill presiding judge duties, and the authority of the prede…

Any vacancy in the municipal court due to a death, disability, or resignation of a municipal court judge shall be filled by the mayor, for the remainder of the unexpired term. The appointment shall be subject to confirmation by the legislative authority of the city or town if the…

A municipal judge shall be removed only upon conviction of misconduct or malfeasance in office, or because of physical or mental disability rendering the judge incapable of performing the duties of the office.[ 1984 c 258 s 124.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates…

Every judge of a municipal court, before entering upon the duties of the 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 State of Washington,…

(1) Costs in civil and criminal actions may be imposed as provided in district court. All fees, costs, fines, forfeitures and other money imposed by any municipal court for the violation of any municipal or town ordinances shall be collected by the court clerk and, together with …

The municipal court shall be open and shall hold such regular and special sessions as may be prescribed by the legislative body of the city or town: PROVIDED, That the municipal court shall not be open on nonjudicial days.[ 1984 c 258 s 114; 1961 c 299 s 60.]Notes:Court Improveme…

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 the court runs throughout the state. The supreme cou…

A transfer of a case from the municipal court to either another municipal judge of the same city or to a judge pro tempore appointed in the manner prescribed by this chapter shall be allowed in accordance with RCW 3.66.090 in all civil and criminal proceedings.[ 1984 c 258 s 122.…

In all civil cases, the plaintiff or defendant may demand a jury, which shall consist of six citizens of the state who shall be impaneled and sworn as in cases before district courts, or the trial may be by a judge of the municipal court: PROVIDED, That no jury trial may be held …

In all cases of conviction, unless otherwise provided in chapters 3.30 through 3.74 RCW as now or hereafter amended, where a jail sentence is given to the defendant, execution shall issue accordingly and where the judgment of the court is that the defendant pay a fine and costs, …

After a conviction, the court may impose sentence by suspending all or a portion of the defendant's sentence or by deferring the sentence of the defendant and may place the defendant on probation for a period of no longer than two years and prescribe the conditions thereof. A def…

(1) A court has continuing jurisdiction and authority to suspend the execution of all or any part of its sentence upon stated terms, including installment payment of fines for a period not to exceed:(a) Five years after imposition of sentence for a defendant sentenced for a domes…

Deferral of sentence and suspension of execution of sentence may be revoked if the defendant violates or fails to carry out any of the conditions of the deferral or suspension. Upon the revocation of the deferral or suspension, the court shall impose the sentence previously suspe…

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 16.]Notes:Applicability—2009 c 431: See …

(1) If a person placed on probation for one year or more for a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor by a municipal court requests permission to travel or transfer to another state, the assigned probation officer shall determine whether such request is subject to RCW 9.94A.745, the in…

All criminal process issued by the municipal court shall be in the name of the state of Washington and run throughout the state, and be directed to and served by the chief of police, marshal, or other police officer of any city or to any sheriff in the state.[ 1984 c 258 s 127.]N…

All criminal prosecutions for the violation of a city ordinance shall be conducted in the name of the city and may be upon the complaint of any person.[ 1984 c 258 s 119; 1961 c 299 s 92.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates—Severability—Short title—1984 c 258: See…

Every person convicted by the municipal court of a violation of the criminal provisions of an ordinance for which no punishment is specifically prescribed in the ordinance is guilty of a gross misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars or i…

Pleadings, practice and procedure in cases not governed by statutes or rules specifically applicable to municipal courts shall, insofar as applicable, be governed by the statutes and rules now existing or hereafter adopted governing pleadings, practice and procedure applicable to…

Any city or town operating a municipal court under this chapter for which the state contributes to municipal court judges' salaries under RCW 2.56.030 shall create a city or town trial court improvement account. An amount equal to one hundred percent of the state's contribution f…

(1) If a municipality has, prior to July 1, 1984, repealed in its entirety that portion of its municipal code defining crimes but continues to hear and determine traffic infraction cases under chapter 46.63 RCW in a municipal court, the municipality and the appropriate county sha…

(1) A municipality operating a municipal court under this chapter shall not terminate that court unless a notice of intent to terminate is sent to the administrative office of the courts six months in advance of the termination and the municipality has reached an agreement with t…

(1) Any city having entered into an agreement for court services with the county must provide written notice of the intent to terminate the agreement to the county legislative authority and to the administrative office of the courts not less than one year prior to February 1st of…

A city may meet the requirements of RCW 39.34.180 by entering into an interlocal agreement with the county in which the city is located or with one or more cities.[ 2008 c 227 s 4.]Notes:Effective date—Subheadings not law—2008 c 227: See notes following RCW 3.50.003.

The clerk and deputy clerks of district courts shall receive such compensation as shall be provided by the county legislative authority.[ 1984 c 258 s 34; 1971 c 73 s 6; 1961 c 299 s 98.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates—Severability—Short title—1984 c 258: See …

The district courts shall prescribe the duties of the clerk and deputy clerks. Such duties shall include all of the requirements of RCW 3.62.020 and 3.62.040 as now or hereafter amended and the receipt of bail and additionally the power to:(1) Accept and enter pleas;(2) Receive b…

The district court shall have a seal that shall be the vignette of George Washington, with the words "Seal of the . . . . . . District Court of . . . . . . County, State of Washington," surrounding the vignette. All process from the court runs throughout the state. The supreme co…

The annual salary of each full time district court judge shall be established by the Washington citizen's commission on salaries for elected officials. A member of the legislature whose term of office is partly coextensive with or extends beyond the present term of office of any …

The annual salaries of part time district judges shall be set by the citizens' commission on salaries.[ 1991 c 338 s 3; 1984 c 258 s 35; 1982 c 29 s 2; 1979 ex.s. c 255 s 9; 1974 ex.s. c 95 s 1; 1969 ex.s. c 192 s 1; 1961 c 299 s 101.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective…

The compensation of judges, clerks, judges pro tempore, deputy clerks, and court commissioners payable by the county shall be paid monthly out of the county treasury from the same funds out of which other salaried county officers are paid.[ 1984 c 258 s 36; 1961 c 299 s 102.]Note…

District judges, judges pro tempore, court commissioners, and district court employees shall receive their reasonable traveling expenses when engaged in the business of the court as provided in chapter 42.24 RCW.[ 1984 c 258 s 37; 1983 c 3 s 3; 1961 c 299 s 103.]Notes:Court Impro…

The county legislative authority shall furnish all necessary facilities for the district courts, including suitable courtrooms, furniture, books, stationery, postage, office equipment, heat, light and telephone and may lease or construct courtrooms and offices for such purpose. T…

Any county with a district court created under this title shall create a county trial court improvement account. An amount equal to one hundred percent of the state's contribution received by the county for the payment of district court judges' salaries shall be deposited into th…

The district court may at the time of sentencing or at any time thereafter suspend a portion or all of a fine or penalty.[ 1984 c 258 s 305; 1961 c 299 s 105.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates—Severability—Short title—1984 c 258: See notes following RCW 3.30.010…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, all costs, fees, fines, forfeitures and penalties assessed and collected in whole or in part by district courts, except costs, fines, forfeitures and penalties assessed and collected, in whole or in part, because of the vi…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, all costs, fines, forfeitures and penalties assessed and collected, in whole or in part, by district courts because of violations of city ordinances shall be remitted by the clerk of the district court at least monthly dir…

The total expenditures of the district courts, including the cost of providing courtroom and office space, the cost of probation and parole services and any personnel employment therefor, and the cost of providing services necessary for the preparation and presentation of a defen…