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

For purposes of this chapter, a court of limited jurisdiction is any court organized under Titles 3, 35, or 35A RCW.[ 1980 c 162 s 1.]Notes:Effective dates, savings—1980 c 162: "Sections 1 through 4 of this 1980 act shall take effect on January 1, 1981, and shall apply to civil o…

Review of the proceedings in a court of limited jurisdiction shall be by the superior court, the procedure for which may be established by supreme court rule.[ 1980 c 162 s 2.]Notes:Effective dates, savings—Severability—1980 c 162: See notes following RCW 3.02.010.

The supreme court may, by court rule, establish a method of making a record of the proceedings of a court of limited jurisdiction for purposes of review.[ 1980 c 162 s 3.]Notes:Effective dates, savings—Severability—1980 c 162: See notes following RCW 3.02.010.

The administrator for the courts may be consulted for advice on the selection, installation, and operation of any electronic recording equipment in courts of limited jurisdiction.[ 2016 c 74 s 3; 1980 c 162 s 4.]Notes:Effective dates, savings—Severability—1980 c 162: See notes fo…

(1) Courts of limited jurisdiction may use collection agencies under chapter 19.16 RCW for purposes of collecting unpaid penalties on infractions, criminal fines, costs, assessments, civil judgments, or forfeitures that have been imposed by the courts. Courts of limited jurisdict…

By January 1, 1982, the supreme court shall adopt rules providing for discovery in civil cases in the courts of limited jurisdiction.[ 1981 c 331 s 8.]Notes:Court Congestion Reduction Act of 1981—Purpose—Severability—1981 c 331: See notes following RCW 2.32.070.

A judge pro tempore may be authorized under RCW 3.50.090 or 35.20.200 whenever a judge of the municipal court serves on a judicial commission, board, or committee established by the legislature or the chief justice of the supreme court. The judge pro tempore shall be compensated …

The provisions of RCW 2.28.300 through 2.28.330 apply to courts of limited jurisdiction.[ 2020 c 37 s 7.]Notes:Findings—Short title—2020 c 37: See notes following RCW 2.28.300.

If, previous to the commencement of any trial before a justice of the peace, the defendant, his or her attorney or agent, shall make and file with the justice an affidavit that the deponent believes that the defendant cannot have an impartial trial before such justice, it shall b…

As used in this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise:"City" means an incorporated city or town."Department" means an administrative unit of a district court established for the orderly and efficient administration of business and may include, without being limite…

All references to justices of the peace in other titles of the Revised Code of Washington shall be construed as meaning district judges. All references to justice courts or justice of the peace courts in other titles of the Revised Code of Washington shall be construed as meaning…

The provisions of chapters 3.30 through 3.74 RCW shall apply to each county with a population of two hundred ten thousand or more: PROVIDED, That any city having a population of more than four hundred thousand may by resolution of its legislative body elect to continue to operate…

The judges of each district court district shall be the justices of the peace of the district elected or appointed as provided in chapters 3.30 through 3.74 RCW. Such courts shall alternately be referred to as district courts and the judges thereof as district judges.[ 1984 c 258…

The district courts shall be open except on nonjudicial days. Sessions of the court shall be held at such places as shall be provided by the district court districting plan. The court shall sit as often as business requires in each city of the district which provides suitable cou…

Each court may be organized in a manner consistent with the departments created by the districting plan.[ 1984 c 258 s 6; 1971 c 73 s 2; 1961 c 299 s 5.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates—Severability—Short title—1984 c 258: See notes following RCW 3.30.010.

Adjournments from day to day, or from time to time, are to be construed as recesses in the sessions, and shall not prevent the court from sitting at any time.[ 1961 c 299 s 6.]

The clerk of each district court shall keep uniform records of each case filed and the proceedings had therein including an accounting for all funds received and disbursed. Financial reporting shall be in such form as may be prescribed by the state auditor. The form of other reco…

The supreme court may adopt rules of procedure for district courts. A district court may adopt local rules of procedure which are not inconsistent with state law or with the rules adopted by the supreme court. The rules for a county with a single district and multiple facilities …

A violations bureau may be established by any city or district court having jurisdiction of traffic cases to assist in processing traffic cases. As designated by written order of the court having jurisdiction of traffic cases, specific offenses under city ordinance, county resolu…

The minimum number of district judges to be elected in each county shall be: Adams, two; Asotin, one; Benton, five; Chelan, two; Clallam, two; Clark, six; Columbia, one; Cowlitz, three; Douglas, one; Ferry, one; Franklin, one; Garfield, one; Grant, three; Grays Harbor, two; Islan…

(1) Any increase in the number of full and part-time district judges after January 1, 1992, shall be determined by the county legislative authority of the affected county after receiving a recommendation from the supreme court. The supreme court shall make its recommendations to …

Any additional district judge positions created under RCW 3.34.020 shall be effective only if the legislative authority of the affected county documents its approval of any additional positions and its agreement that it will pay out of county funds, without reimbursement from the…

A district judge serving a district having a population of forty thousand or more persons, and a district judge receiving a salary equal to the maximum salary set by the salary commission under RCW 3.58.020 for district judges shall be deemed full time judges and shall devote all…

At the general election in November 1962 and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be elected by the voters of each district court district the number of judges authorized for the district by the district court districting plan. Judges shall be elected for each district and elect…

To be eligible to file a declaration of candidacy for and to serve as a district court judge, a person must:(1) Be a registered voter of the district court district and electoral district, if any; and(2) Be either:(a) A lawyer admitted to practice law in the state of Washington; …

Every district judge shall hold office for a term of four years from and after the second Monday in January next succeeding his or her selection and continuing until a successor is elected and qualified.[ 1984 c 258 s 13; 1961 c 299 s 16.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effec…

Each district judge, district judge pro tempore and district court commissioner shall, before entering upon the duties of office, take an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the state of Washington, and to perform the duties of t…

The county legislative authority shall provide for the bonding of each district judge, district judge pro tempore, district court commissioner, clerk of the district court, and court employee, at the expense of the county, in such amount as the county legislative authority shall …

(1) If a district judge dies, resigns, is convicted of a felony, ceases to reside in the district, fails to serve for any reason except temporary disability, or if his or her term of office is terminated in any other manner, the office shall be deemed vacant. The county legislati…

(1) A district 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 the…

The partner and associates of a judge who is a lawyer shall not practice law before the judge.[ 1984 c 258 s 18; 1961 c 299 s 21.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates—Severability—Short title—1984 c 258: See notes following RCW 3.30.010.

(1) In addition to the designation of a presiding judge pro tempore for a single judge court as provided in RCW 3.34.150(2), each district court shall designate one or more persons as judge pro tempore who shall serve during the temporary absence, disqualification, or incapacity …

Any district judge may hold a session in any district in the state, at the request of the judge or majority of judges in the district if the visiting judge determines that the state of business in his or her district allows the judge to be absent. The county legislative authority…

(1) If a district has more than one judge, the supreme court may by rule provide for the manner of selection of one of the judges to serve as presiding judge and prescribe the presiding judge's duties. If a county has multiple districts or has one district with multiple electoral…

There is established in each county a district court districting committee composed of the following:(1) The judge of the superior court, or, if there be more than one such judge, then one of the judges selected by that court;(2) The prosecuting attorney, or a deputy selected by …

The district court districting committee shall meet at the call of the prosecuting attorney to prepare or amend the plan for the districting of the county into one or more district court districts in accordance with the provisions of chapters 3.30 through 3.74 RCW. The plan shall…

The districting plan may provide that the offices and courtrooms of more than one district may be in the same building: PROVIDED, That no office or courtroom of any district shall be located further than two miles outside the boundary of the district which it serves.[ 1984 c 258 …

Upon receipt of the districting plan, the county legislative authority shall hold a public hearing, pursuant to the provisions of RCW 36.32.120(7), as now or hereafter amended. At the hearing, anyone interested in the plan may attend and be heard as to the convenience which will …

As a part of the districting plan, the county legislative authority shall designate a date on which the terms of the district judges of the county shall end.For each judicial position under the districting plan, the county legislative authority shall appoint a person qualified un…

(1) The districting committee may meet for the purpose of amending the districting plan at any time on call of the county legislative authority, the chairperson of the committee or a majority of its members. Amendments to the plan shall be submitted to the county legislative auth…

District court districts shall be established in accordance with the following standards:(1) Every part of the county shall be in some district.(2) The whole county may constitute one district.(3) There shall not be more districts than there are judges authorized for the county.(…

Joint districts may be established containing all or part of two or more counties. The county containing the largest portion of the population of a joint district shall be known as the "principal county" and each joint district shall be deemed to lie within the principal county f…

A county legislative authority for a county that has a single district but has multiple locations for courtrooms may establish separate electoral districts to provide for election of district court judges by subcounty local districts. In any county containing a city of more than …

In any county in which separate electoral districts have been established pursuant to RCW 3.38.070, the term "district" also means "electoral district" for purposes of RCW 3.38.022, 3.38.050, and 3.38.060.[ 1990 c 257 s 2.]

When so authorized by the districting plan, one or more district court commissioners may be appointed in any district by the judges of the district. Each commissioner shall be a registered voter of the county in which the district or a portion thereof is located, and shall hold o…

Each district court commissioner shall have such power, authority, and jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters as the appointing judges possess and shall prescribe, except that when serving as a commissioner, the commissioner does not have authority to preside over trials in c…

District court commissioners shall receive such compensation as the county legislative authority or city council shall provide.[ 1984 c 258 s 33; 1969 ex.s. c 66 s 4; 1961 c 299 s 34.]Notes:Court Improvement Act of 1984—Effective dates—Severability—Short title—1984 c 258: See not…

A municipality operating a municipal department under this chapter prior to July 1, 2008, may continue to operate as if chapter 227, Laws of 2008 was not adopted. Such municipal departments shall remain subject to the provisions of this chapter as this chapter was written prior t…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "City" means an incorporated city or town.(2) "Contracting city" means any city that contracts with a hosting jurisdiction for the delivery of judicial services.(3) "Ho…

The legislature finds that there is a multitude of statutes governing the municipal courts of the state. This situation is confusing and misleading to attorneys, judges, court personnel, and others who work with the municipal courts. The legislature therefore finds that a reorgan…