H-717 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL NO. 1455
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State of Washington 51st Legislature 1989 Regular Session
By Representatives Appelwick, Patrick, Heavey and Brough
Read first time 1/25/89 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.
AN ACT Relating to the election of district court judges; amending RCW 3.34.050, 3.34.060, and 3.30.080; adding a new section to chapter 3.38 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. It is the intent of the legislature to continue to provide the option for local election of district court judges where a county district court with multiple courtrooms is unified into a single district court for operational and administrative purposes.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. a new section is added to chapter 3.38 RCW to read as follows:
A county legislative authority for a county that has a single district but has multiple locations for courtrooms may establish separate electoral districts to provide for election of district court judges by subcounty local districts. As nearly as possible, the electoral districts shall follow precinct lines, follow neighborhood and community boundaries, and include approximately equal population.
Sec. 3. Section 14, chapter 299, Laws of 1961 as last amended by section 11, chapter 258, Laws of 1984 and RCW 3.34.050 are each amended to read as follows:
At the
general election in November((,)) 1962 and quadrennially thereafter,
there shall be elected by the voters of each district court district the number
of judges authorized for the district by the district court districting plan.
Judges shall be elected for each district and electoral district, if any,
by the qualified electors of the district in the same manner as judges of
courts of record are elected. Not less than ten days before the time for
filing declarations of candidacy for the election of judges for districts
entitled to more than one judge, the county auditor shall designate each such
office of district judge to be filled by a number, commencing with the number
one and numbering the remaining offices consecutively. At the time of the
filing of the declaration of candidacy, each candidate shall designate by
number which one, and only one, of the numbered offices for which he or she is
a candidate and the name of the candidate shall appear on the ballot for only
the numbered office for which the candidate filed a declaration of candidacy.
Sec. 4. Section 15, chapter 299, Laws of 1961 as amended by section 12, chapter 258, Laws of 1984 and RCW 3.34.060 are each amended to read as follows:
To be eligible to file a declaration of candidacy for and to serve as a district court judge, a person must:
(1) Be a registered voter of the district court district and electoral district, if any; and
(2) Be either:
(a) A lawyer admitted to practice law in the state of Washington; or
(b) A person who has been elected and has served as a justice of the peace, district judge, municipal judge, or police judge in Washington; or
(c) In those districts having a population of less than ten thousand persons, a person who has taken and passed the qualifying examination for the office of district judge as shall be provided by rule of the supreme court.
Sec. 5. Section 8, chapter 299, Laws of 1961 as amended by section 7, chapter 258, Laws of 1984 and RCW 3.30.080 are each amended to read as follows:
The supreme court may adopt rules of procedure for district courts. A district court may adopt local rules of procedure which are not inconsistent with state law or with the rules adopted by the supreme court. The rules for a county with a single district and multiple facilities may include rules to provide where cases shall be filed and where cases shall be heard. If the rules of the supreme court authorized under this section are adopted, all procedural laws in conflict with the rules shall be of no effect.