_______________________________________________
HOUSE
BILL 2471
_______________________________________________
Passed
Legislature - 2002 Regular Session
State
of Washington 57th Legislature 2002 Regular Session
By
Read
first time 01/18/2002. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
Changing the methodology of determining the number of
district court judges.
AN
ACT Relating to the methodology of determining the number of district court
judges; and amending RCW 3.34.020.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
3.34.020 and 1997 c 41 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
Any change in the number of full and part-time district judges after January 1,
1992, shall be determined by the legislature after receiving a recommendation
from the supreme court. The supreme court shall make its recommendations to
the legislature based on ((a weighted caseload)) an objective
workload analysis that takes into account ((the following:
(a)
The extent of time that existing judges have available to hear cases in that
court;
(b)
A measurement of the judicial time needed to process various types of cases;
(c)
A determination of the time required to process each type of case to the
individual court workload;
(d)
A determination of the amount of a judge's annual work time that can be devoted
exclusively to processing cases; and
(e)
An assessment of judicial resource needs, including annual case filings, and
case weights and the judge year value determined under the weighted caseload
method)) available judicial resources and the caseload
activity of each court.
(2)
The administrator for the courts, under the supervision of the supreme court,
may consult with the board of judicial administration and the district and
municipal court judge's association in developing the procedures and methods of
applying the ((weighted caseload)) objective workload analysis.
(3)
For each recommended change from the number of full and part-time district
judges in any county as of January 1, 1992, the administrator for the courts, under
the supervision of the supreme court, shall complete a judicial impact note
detailing any local or state cost associated with such recommended change.
(4)
If the legislature approves an increase in the base number of district judges
in any county as of January 1, 1992, such increase in the base number of
district judges and all related costs may be paid for by the county from moneys
provided under RCW 82.14.310, and any such costs shall be deemed to be expended
for criminal justice purposes as provided in RCW 82.14.315, and such expenses
shall not constitute a supplanting of existing funding.
(5)(a)
A county legislative authority that desires to change the number of full or
part-time district judges from the base number on January 1, 1992, must first request
the assistance of the supreme court. The administrator for the courts, under
the supervision of the supreme court, shall conduct ((a weighted caseload))
an objective workload analysis and make a recommendation of its findings
to the legislature for consideration as provided in this section.
(b)
The legislative authority of any county may change a part-time district judge
position to a full-time position.
Passed the House February 14, 2002.
Passed the Senate March 6, 2002.
Approved by the Governor
March 21, 2002.
Filed
in Office of Secretary of State March 21, 2002.
