FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 1824

                          C 33 L 91

                     Synopsis As Enacted

Brief Description:  Changing district courts' jurisdiction.

By House Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representative Appelwick).

House Committee on Judiciary

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  The Commission on Washington Trial Courts, among others, has recommended that certain other kinds of cases should be handled by district courts.  These cases generally tend to be relatively high volume but also tend to require relatively little time per case.  Examples of recommended cases include lien foreclosures and name changes.

Some superior courts have been faced with increasingly large numbers of protective order actions in anti-harassment cases.  Proposals have been made that would allow these cases to be heard in district court.

District courts have jurisdiction over civil suits involving $10,000 or less.

Summary:  Some aspects of district court civil jurisdiction are changed.  District courts are given jurisdiction over anti-harassment orders, name changes and lien foreclosures involving personal property or crops.  However, a district court may transfer an anti-harassment order case to superior court if the district court demonstrates a meritorious reason for the transfer.  The limit on the amount in controversy that may be heard in district court is raised from $10,000 to $25,000.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97   0

Senate 44   0

Effective:    July 1, 1991