Title 7 — Title 7 SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS AND ACTIONS

(1) Subject to RCW 7.77.160 and 7.77.170, a collaborative law communication is privileged under subsection (2) of this section, is not subject to discovery, and is not admissible in evidence.(2) In a proceeding, the following privileges apply:(a) A party may refuse to disclose, a…

(1) A privilege under RCW 7.77.150 may be waived in a record or orally during a proceeding if it is expressly waived by all parties and, in the case of the privilege of a nonparty participant, it is also expressly waived by the nonparty participant.(2) A person that makes a discl…

(1) There is no privilege under RCW 7.77.150 for a collaborative law communication that is:(a) Available to the public under chapter 42.56 RCW or made during a session of a collaborative law process that is open, or is required by law to be open, to the public;(b) A threat or sta…

(1) If an agreement fails to meet the requirements of RCW 7.77.030, or a lawyer fails to comply with RCW 7.77.120 or 7.77.130, a tribunal may nonetheless find that the parties intended to enter into a collaborative law participation agreement if they:(a) Signed a record indicatin…

This chapter may be known and cited as the "uniform collaborative law act."[ 2013 c 119 s 1.]

In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.[ 2013 c 119 s 20.]

This chapter modifies, limits, and supersedes the federal electronic signatures in global and national commerce act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 7001, et seq., but does not modify, limit, or supersede section 101(c) of that act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 7001(c), or authorize electronic delivery of any …

The legislature finds that many minor offenses that are established as misdemeanors are obsolete or can be more appropriately punished by the imposition of civil fines. The legislature finds that some misdemeanors should be decriminalized to allow resources of the legal system, s…

(1) All violations of state law, local law, ordinance, regulation, or resolution designated as civil infractions may be heard and determined by a district court, except as otherwise provided in this section.(2) Any municipal court has the authority to hear and determine pursuant …

Notwithstanding any other provision of law governing service of process in civil cases, a court of limited jurisdiction having jurisdiction over an alleged civil infraction may issue process anywhere within the state.[ 1987 c 456 s 10.]

All judges and court commissioners adjudicating civil infractions shall complete such training requirements as are promulgated by the supreme court.[ 1987 c 456 s 11.]

As used in this chapter, "enforcement officer" means a person authorized to enforce the provisions of the title or ordinance in which the civil infraction is established.[ 1987 c 456 s 12.]

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2178-S.SL) ***(1) A civil infraction proceeding is initiated by the issuance, service, and filing of a notice of civil infraction.(2) A notice of civil infraction may be issued by an enforcement officer when the civil infraction occurs in the officer's…

A person who is to receive a notice of civil infraction under RCW 7.80.050 is required to identify himself or herself to the enforcement officer by giving his or her name, address, and date of birth. Upon the request of the officer, the person shall produce reasonable identificat…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2178-S.SL) ***(1) A notice of civil infraction represents a determination that a civil infraction has been committed. The determination is final unless contested as provided in this chapter.(2) The form for the notice of civil infraction shall be presc…

(1) Any person who receives a notice of civil infraction shall respond to such notice as provided in this section within fifteen days of the date of the notice.(2) If the person determined to have committed the civil infraction does not contest the determination, the person shall…

(1) Procedures for the conduct of all hearings provided in this chapter may be established by rule of the supreme court.(2) Any person subject to proceedings under this chapter may be represented by counsel.(3) The attorney representing the state, county, city, town, or transit a…

(1) A hearing held for the purpose of contesting the determination that a civil infraction has been committed shall be without a jury and shall be recorded in the manner provided for in courts of limited jurisdiction.(2) The court may consider the notice of civil infraction and a…

(1) A hearing held for the purpose of allowing a person to explain mitigating circumstances surrounding the commission of a civil infraction shall be an informal proceeding. The person may not subpoena witnesses. The determination that a civil infraction has been committed may no…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2239-S.SL) ****** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2178-S.SL) ***(1) A person found to have committed a civil infraction shall be assessed a monetary penalty.(a) The maximum penalty and the default amount for a class 1 civil infraction shall be $250, not includ…

(1) An order entered after the receipt of a response which does not contest the determination, or after it has been established at a hearing that the civil infraction was committed, or after a hearing for the purpose of explaining mitigating circumstances is civil in nature.(2) T…

Each party to a civil infraction case is responsible for costs incurred by that party, but the court may assess witness fees against a nonprevailing respondent. Attorney fees may be awarded to either party in a civil infraction case.[ 1987 c 456 s 22.]

(1) Every law enforcement agency in this state or other agency authorized to issue notices of civil infractions shall provide in appropriate form notices of civil infractions which shall be issued in books with notices in quadruplicate and meeting the requirements of this section…

(1) Any person who, after receiving a statement of the options provided in this chapter for responding to the notice of civil infraction and the procedures necessary to exercise these options, fails to exercise one of the options in a timely manner is guilty of a misdemeanor rega…

Any municipal criminal ordinance in existence on the January 1, 1989, which is the same as or substantially similar to a statute which is decriminalized by sections 25 through 30 and 32, chapter 456, Laws of 1987 is deemed to be civil in nature and shall be punished as provided i…

Sections 9 through 31 of this act shall take effect January 1, 1989.[ 1987 c 456 s 34.]

The legislature declares that decriminalizing certain offenses contained in Titles *75, 76, 77, 79, and 79A RCW and chapter 43.30 RCW and any rules adopted pursuant to those titles and chapters would promote the more efficient administration of those titles and chapters. The purp…

The definition in this section applies throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise."Infraction" means an offense which, by the terms of Title 76, 77, 79, or 79A RCW or RCW 7.84.030(2)(b) or 70A.200.060, and rules adopted under these titles and sections, …

(1) An infraction proceeding is initiated by the issuance and service of a printed notice of infraction and filing of a printed or electronic copy of the notice of infraction.(2)(a) A notice of infraction may be issued by a person authorized to enforce the provisions of the title…

(1) Infraction proceedings may be heard and determined by a district court.(2) Infraction proceedings shall be brought in the district court district in which the infraction occurred. If an infraction takes place in the offshore waters, as defined in RCW 77.08.010, the infraction…

(1) A notice of infraction represents a determination that an infraction has been committed. The determination shall be final unless contested as provided in this chapter.(2) The form for the notice of infraction shall be prescribed by rule of the supreme court and shall include …

(1) Any person who receives a notice of infraction shall respond to such notice as provided in this section within fifteen days of the date of the notice.(2) If the person determined to have committed the infraction does not contest the determination, the person shall respond by …

(1) Procedures for the conduct of all hearings provided for in this chapter may be established by rule of the supreme court.(2) Any person subject to proceedings under this chapter may be represented by counsel.(3) The attorney representing the state, county, city, town, or agenc…

(1) A hearing held for the purpose of contesting the determination that an infraction has been committed shall be without a jury.(2) The court may consider the notice of infraction and any other written report made under oath submitted by the officer who issued the notice or whos…

(1) A hearing held for the purpose of allowing a person to explain mitigating circumstances surrounding the commission of an infraction shall be an informal proceeding. The person may not subpoena witnesses. The determination that an infraction has been committed shall not be con…

(1) A person found to have committed an infraction shall be assessed a monetary penalty. No penalty may exceed $500 for each offense unless specifically authorized by statute.(2) The supreme court may prescribe by rule a schedule of monetary penalties for designated infractions. …

(1) An order entered after the receipt of a response which does not contest the determination, or after it has been established at a hearing that the infraction was committed, or after a hearing for the purpose of explaining mitigating circumstances, is civil in nature.(2) The co…

A court of limited jurisdiction having jurisdiction over an alleged infraction may issue process anywhere within the state.[ 1987 c 380 s 12.]

(1) Failure to pay a monetary penalty assessed by a court under the provisions of this chapter is a misdemeanor under chapter 9A.20 RCW.(2) Failure to complete community restitution ordered by a court under the provisions of this chapter is a misdemeanor under chapter 9A.20 RCW.[…

(1) The director chosen by the state parks and recreation commission, the commissioner of public lands, and the director of the department of fish and wildlife are each authorized to delegate and accept enforcement authority over natural resource infractions to or from the other …

This act shall take effect January 1, 1988.[ 1987 c 380 s 21.]

The legislature finds and declares that efforts by financial institutions to comply voluntarily with state and federal statutory and regulatory requirements are vital to the public interest; that possible discovery and use in civil litigation of work produced in connection with s…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Affiliate" means any person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with a financial institution.(2) "Civil action" means a civil proceeding pendin…

Except as provided in RCW 7.88.030:(1) Compliance review documents are confidential and are not discoverable or admissible as evidence in any civil action.(2) Compliance review personnel shall not be required to testify at deposition or trial in any civil action concerning the co…

RCW 7.88.020 does not:(1) Limit the discovery or admissibility in any civil action of any documents that are not compliance review documents;(2) Limit the discovery or admissibility of the testimony as to the identity of relevant witnesses or the identification of any relevant do…

In a proceeding in which the privilege provided by this chapter is asserted, a court of competent jurisdiction may determine after in camera review that the privilege does not apply to any or all of the documents for which the privilege is claimed, and if so, the court may order …

This chapter does not limit, waive, or abrogate the scope or nature of any other statutory or common law privilege of this state or the United States, including the attorney-client privilege.[ 1997 c 435 s 6.]

Since the United States supreme court recognized the First Amendment limitations on the common law tort of defamation and defamation-like torts, courts have struggled to achieve a balance between constitutionally protected guarantees of free expression and the need to protect cit…

The definition in this section applies throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise."Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, joint venture, or other legal or commercial entity. The term does not i…

(1) This chapter applies to any claim for relief, however characterized, for damages arising out of harm caused by the false content of a publication that is published on or after July 28, 2013.(2) This chapter applies to all publications, including writings, broadcasts, oral com…