H-0540.1                  _______________________________________________

 

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1342

                              _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

 

By Representative R. Meyers

 

Read first time 01/25/93.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

 

Changing the requirement that court clerks distribute certain mandatory forms.

          AN ACT Relating to standard court forms; and amending RCW 26.18.220.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

        Sec. 1.  RCW 26.18.220 and 1992 c 229 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) The administrator for the courts shall develop not later than July 1, 1991, standard court forms and format rules for mandatory use by litigants in all actions commenced under chapters 26.09, 26.10, and 26.26 RCW effective January 1, 1992.  The administrator for the courts shall develop mandatory forms for financial affidavits for integration into the worksheets.  The forms shall be developed and approved not later than September 1, 1992.  The parties shall use the mandatory form for financial affidavits for actions commenced on or after September 1, 1992.  The administrator for the courts has continuing responsibili­ty to develop and revise mandatory forms and format rules as appropriate.

          (2) A party may delete unnecessary portions of the forms according to the rules established by the administrator for the courts.  A party may supplement the mandatory forms with additional material.

          (3) A party's failure to use the mandatory forms or follow the format rules shall not be a reason to dismiss a case, refuse a filing, or strike a pleading.  However, the court may require the party to submit a corrected pleading and may impose terms payable to the opposing party or payable to the court, or both.

          (4) The administrator for the courts shall distribute a master copy of the forms to all county court clerks.  The administrator for the courts and county clerks ((shall)) may distribute the mandatory forms to the public upon request and may charge for the cost of production and distribution of the forms.  Private vendors may distribute the mandatory forms.  Distribution may be in printed or electronic form.

 

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