Washington · statute · Wash. Rev. Code ch. 3.50 · 39 active provisions
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) "Hosting jurisdiction" means a county or ci…
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 reorganization of the municipal courts of the s…
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 designated and referred to as "municipal court…
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 actions brought to enforce or recover license…
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 which may be processed by the violations…
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 who are appointed to terms commencing bef…
(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 the judicial officer or one of the parties…
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 qualifications necessary for the appointment there…
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 the position. For purposes of this secti…
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.
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, 35.23.555, 35.27.515, 35.30.100, and 35…
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.
(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 in criminal and civil matters as the appo…
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 the city or town. The city shall provide…
(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 disability of the elected or duly appointed jud…
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 predesignated or appointed presiding judge pr…
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 legislative authority has the general p…
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.
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, and that I will faithfully discharge th…
(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 any other noninterest revenues received…
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.
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 court may determine by rule what process mu…
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.
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 on a proceeding involving a traffic infr…
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, the defendant may be committed to jail u…