FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5522

                           C 16 L 96

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Regulating the use of pro tempore judges and court commissioners.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Smith, Roach, C. Anderson and Johnson).

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

House Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  Each district court is directed to designate one or more persons as judges pro tempore who will serve during the temporary absence, disqualification, or incapacity of a district judge.  There is concern that the statute allowing the designation of judges pro tempore is unnecessarily narrow, and impedes the use of judges pro tempore in other appropriate circumstances.

Summary:  Each district court is directed to designate one or more persons as judges pro tempore who will serve during the temporary absence, disqualification, incapacity of a district judge, or for excess caseload or special set cases.  No reduction in the annual salary of the district judge occurs when a judge pro tempore serves as an additional judge for excess case load, special set cases or while a district judge is involved in administrative, educational, or judicial functions.  The appointment of judges pro tempore is subject to an appropriation by the county legislative authority.

Municipal court commissioners may be appointed by the judges of a city when authorized by the city legislative authority.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    48 0

House     95 0

Effective:  June 6, 1996