SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 2329

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                 Judiciary, February 18, 2000

Title:  An act relating to judgment descriptions.

Brief Description:  Changing descriptions in judgments involving real property.

Sponsors:  Representatives McDonald, Lantz and Constantine.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Judiciary:  2/16/2000, 2/18/2000 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Heavey, Chair; Kline, Vice Chair; Costa, Hargrove, Johnson, Long and McCaslin.

Staff:  Dick Armstrong (786-7460)

Background:  When a judgment is entered in a court case, the clerk of the court is responsible for processing certain paperwork associated with the judgment.  Included in these responsibilities is entering the judgment in the court execution docket, which allows a record to be kept of the parties' compliance with the requirements of the judgment.  Each judgment for the payment of money must have a summary page that succinctly summarizes information about the judgment creditor and debtor, the amount of the judgment and any interest owed, and the total of costs and attorney fees owed.

In 1999, a bill was passed requiring that a judgment summary include specific information about real estate that is affected by the judgment.  If the judgment involves an award of any interest in real property, the summary page must include both an abbreviated legal description of the property and the assessor's tax parcel or account number.

County treasurers, especially those in the larger counties, have found that the law does not allow them to list multiple property descriptions on the judgment summary when filing tax foreclosures.

Summary of Bill:  The description of real property on a judgment summary may be either an abbreviated legal description of the property or the assessor's tax parcel or account number.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The bill will allow the judgment summary sheet to remain as a Asummary.@  Right now the clerks of the courts cannot get all of the information on the summary sheet.  Clerks in large counties cannot comply with the current statute in tax foreclosure cases.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Representative McDonald, prime sponsor; Betty Gould, Washington Association of County Clerks; Debbie Wilke, Association of County Officials.