S-0263.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5302

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Roach and Heavey

Read first time 01/19/1999.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Defining the jurisdiction of civil antiharassment actions.

    AN ACT Relating to jurisdiction of superior courts in civil antiharassment actions; and amending RCW 10.14.150.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 10.14.150 and 1991 c 33 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The district courts shall have jurisdiction and cognizance of any civil actions and proceedings brought under this chapter, except the district court shall transfer such actions and proceedings to the superior court when it is shown that the respondent to the petition is under eighteen years of age.

(2) Superior courts shall have concurrent jurisdiction to receive transfer of antiharassment petitions in cases where a district court judge makes findings of fact and conclusions of law showing that meritorious reasons ((exit [exist])) exist for the transfer.  The municipal and district courts shall have jurisdiction and cognizance of any criminal actions brought under RCW 10.14.120 and 10.14.170.

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