SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 6141

          AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE, JANUARY 23, 1992

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

SPONSORS: Senators Erwin, A. Smith, Madsen and Gaspard

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAW & JUSTICE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6141 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Nelson, Chairman; Thorsness, Vice Chairman; Erwin, Newhouse, Rasmussen, and A. Smith.

Staff:  Lidia Mori (786‑7755)

Hearing Dates: January 23, 1992

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

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

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.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

This change in the law will ensure that antiharassment actions are filed in the appropriate judicial district of a county.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Judge R. McBeth, District and Municipal Court Judges Association