FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 2293

                          C 64 L 98

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Authorizing Snohomish county to create one additional district court position.

Sponsors:  Representatives Sherstad, Sheahan and Costa; by request of Administrator for the Courts.

House Committee on Law & Justice

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  The number of district court judges in each county is set by statute.  There is a procedure, also in statute, for changing the number of judges in a county.

The Legislature may change the number of district court judges in a county upon the recommendation of the supreme court.  The process of formulating such a recommendation involves the use of a "weighted caseload" analysis developed by the Office of the Administrator for the Courts (OAC) in consultation with the Board of Judicial Administration, the Judicial Council, and the District and Municipal Court Judges' Association.  The weighted caseload analysis includes consideration of the amount of judicial time and resources needed to process various kinds of cases.

For each recommended increase in the number of district court judges in a county, the OAC must prepare a judicial impact note detailing any local or state cost associated with the change.

The costs associated with an increase in the number of judges may be paid for by the county out of the county criminal justice assistance account.

The OAC recommends that the number of district court judges in Snohomish County be increased from seven to eight.

Summary:  The number of district court judges in Snohomish County is increased from seven to eight.

Votes on Final Passage:

House930

Senate 470

Effective:June 11, 1998