WSR 10-15-032

RULES OF COURT

STATE SUPREME COURT


[ July 8, 2010 ]

IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENTS TO IRLJ 3.1(b)-CONTESTED HEARINGS PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS ) ) ) ) ORDER

NO. 25700-A-960

     The District and Municipal Court Judges' Association having recommended the adoption of the proposed amendments to IRLJ 3.1(b)-Contested Hearings Preliminary Proceedings, and the Court having considered the amendments and comments submitted thereto, and having determined that the proposed amendments will aid in the prompt and orderly administration of justice;

     Now, therefore, it is hereby

     ORDERED:

     (a) That the amendments previously adopted by the Court on June 3, 2010, are rescinded and the revised amendments as shown below hereto are adopted.

     (b) That the revised amendments will be published in the Washington Reports and will become effective September 1, 2010.

     DATED at Olympia, Washington this 8th day of July, 2010.
     Madsen, C.J.
     C. Johnson, J.

      Owens, J.
     Alexander, J.

      Fairhurst, J.
    

     J. M. Johnson, J.
     Chambers, J.

      Stephens, J.

RULE IRLJ 3.1

CONTESTED HEARINGS -- PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS



     (a) Subpoena. The defendant and the plaintiff prosecuting authority may subpoena witnesses necessary for the presentation of their respective cases. Witnesses should be served at least 7 days before the hearing. The subpoena may be issued by a judge, court commissioner, or clerk of the court or by a party's lawyer. If a party's lawyer issues a subpoena, a copy shall be filed with the court and with the office of the prosecuting authority assigned to the court in which the infraction is filed on the same day it is sent out for service. A request that an officer appear at a contested hearing pursuant to rule 3.3(c) shall be filed on a separate pleading. A subpoena may be directed for service within their jurisdiction to the sheriff of any county or any peace officer of any municipality in the state in which the witness may be or it may be served as provided in CR 45(c), or it may be served by first-class mail, postage prepaid, sent to the witnesses' last known address. Service by mail shall be deemed complete upon the third day following the day upon which the subpoena was placed in the mail. If the subpoena is for a witness outside the county, a judge must approve of the subpoena.

     (b) Discovery. Upon written demand of the defendant at least 14 days before a contested hearing, filed with the court and served on the office of the prosecuting authority assigned to the court in which the infraction is filed, the plaintiff's lawyer prosecuting authority shall at least 7 days before the hearing provide the defendant or the defendant's lawyer with: (1) a copy of the citing officer's sworn statement; (2) a copy of video or photographic evidence the prosecutor proposes to introduce at trial, unless in reply to the discovery request the prosecutor provides the address to a website where such evidence is accessible to the defendant; and (3) and with the names of any witnesses not identified in the citing officer's sworn statement. No other discovery shall be required. If the prosecuting authority provides the citing officer's sworn statement any portion of the discovery less than 7 days before the hearing but not later than one day before the hearing, such untimely discovery the citing officer's sworn statement shall be suppressed only upon a showing of prejudice in the presentation of the defendant's case. If the prosecuting authority, without reasonable excuse or justification, fails to provide the citing officer's sworn statement any portion of the discovery prior to the day of the hearing, the statement shall portion of discovery not provided shall be suppressed. No other discovery shall be required. Neither party is precluded from investigating the case, and neither party shall impede another party's investigation. A request for discovery pursuant to this section shall be filed on a separate pleading.

     (c) Amendment of Notice. The court may permit a notice of infraction to be amended at any time before judgment if no additional or different infraction is charged, and if substantial rights of the defendant are not thereby prejudiced. A continuance shall be granted if the defendant satisfies the court that the additional time is needed to defend against the amended notice of infraction.

     (d) Sufficiency. No notice of infraction shall be deemed insufficient for failure to contain a definite statement of the essential facts constituting the specific infraction which the defendant is alleged to have committed, nor by reason of defects or imperfections which do not tend to prejudice substantial rights of the defendant.

     Adopted as JTIR effective January 1, 1981. Changed from JTIR to IRLJ effective September 1, 1992; amended effective January 2, 1997; amended effective January 3, 2006; January 2, 2007.]

     Reviser's note: The typographical error in the above material occurred in the copy filed by the State Supreme Court and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

     Reviser's note: The brackets and enclosed material in the text of the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appear in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

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