BILL REQ. #:  S-3804.1 

Read first time 01/22/2004.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

     AN ACT Relating to attorney fees; and amending RCW 4.84.080 and 12.20.060.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 4.84.080 and 1985 c 240 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     When allowed to either party, costs to be called the attorney fee, shall be as follows:
     (1) In all actions where judgment is rendered, ((one)) two hundred ((twenty-five)) dollars.
     (2) In all actions where judgment is rendered in the supreme court or the court of appeals, after argument, ((one)) two hundred ((twenty-five)) dollars.

Sec. 2   RCW 12.20.060 and 1993 c 341 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     When the prevailing party in district court is entitled to recover costs as authorized in RCW 4.84.010 in a civil action, the judge shall add the amount thereof to the judgment; in case of failure of the plaintiff to recover or of dismissal of the action, the judge shall enter up a judgment in favor of the defendant for the amount of his or her costs; and in case any party so entitled to costs is represented in the action by an attorney, the judge shall include attorney's fees ((of one hundred twenty-five dollars)) in the amount provided in RCW 4.84.060 as part of the costs: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That the plaintiff shall not be entitled to such attorney fee unless he or she obtains, exclusive of costs, a judgment in the sum of fifty dollars or more.