S-0969.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5226

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Senator Heavey)

Read first time 01/26/1999.

Revising provisions relating to offers of settlement.

    AN ACT Relating to offers of settlement; and amending RCW 4.84.250.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 4.84.250 and 1984 c 258 s 88 are each amended to read as follows:

    Notwithstanding any other provisions of chapter 4.84 RCW and RCW 12.20.060, in any action for damages where the amount pleaded by the prevailing party as ((hereinafter)) defined in RCW 4.84.260, exclusive of costs, is ((seven)) thirty-five thousand ((five hundred)) dollars or less, there shall be taxed and allowed to the prevailing party as a part of the costs of the action a reasonable amount to be fixed by the court as attorneys' fees.  ((After July 1, 1985, the maximum amount of the pleading under this section shall be ten thousand dollars.))  Attorneys' fees provided for in this section accrue to the benefit of the prevailing party.

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