FINAL BILL REPORT

                                   SSB 6141

                                  C 127 L 92

                              SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Allowing an antiharassment action to be brought in the appropriate judicial district.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Erwin, A. Smith, Madsen and Gaspard)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

BACKGROUND:

An antiharassment petition may be filed in any county in which the alleged acts of unlawful harassment occurred or in any county where the respondent resides or may be served. 

King County has more than one judicial district within its county boundaries.  Some people in King County have filed antiharassment petitions in a judicial district in which none of the parties involved lived and in which the alleged acts of harassment did not occur.  There is concern that in such instances people have used the option of filing an antiharassment petition anywhere in a county to essentially harass the others involved by requiring them to commute long distances to court.  

SUMMARY:

An antiharassment action may be brought in the judicial district of the county in which the alleged acts of harassment occurred or in the judicial district of the county in which the respondent resides.  An antiharassment action may also be brought in the judicial district of the county in which a respondent may be served if it is the same county or judicial district where a respondent resides.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate      47    0

House 96    0

EFFECTIVE:  June 11, 1992