Z-1535 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL NO. 2467
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 51st Legislature 1990 Regular Session
By Representatives Padden, Appelwick, Dellwo and R. Meyers; by request of Office of the Administrator for the Courts
Read first time 1/12/90 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.
AN ACT Relating to juries; amending RCW 8.04.080, 8.04.100, 8.12.090, 8.16.060, 85.05.120, and 36.24.030; and prescribing penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. Section 3, chapter 213, Laws of 1955 as amended by section 15, chapter 188, Laws of 1988 and RCW 8.04.080 are each amended to read as follows:
The order
shall direct that determination be had of the compensation and damages to be
paid all parties interested in the land, real estate, premises or other
property sought to be appropriated for the taking and appropriation thereof,
together with the injury, if any, caused by such taking and appropriation to
the remainder of the lands, real estate, premises, or other property from which
the same is to be taken and appropriated after offsetting against any and all
such compensation and damages the special benefits, if any, accruing to such
remainder by reason of the appropriation and the use by the state of the lands,
real estate, premises, and other property described in the petition. The
determination shall be made within thirty days after the entry of such order,
before a jury if trial by jury is demanded at the hearing either by the
petitioner or by the respondents, otherwise by the court sitting without a
jury. If no regular venire has been called so as to be available to serve
within such time on application of the petitioner at the hearing, the court may
by its order continue such determination to the next regular jury term if a
regular venire will be called within sixty days, otherwise the court shall call
a special jury within said sixty days and direct that a jury panel be selected
and summoned pursuant to chapter 2.36 RCW, from the citizens of the county in
which the lands, real estate, premises, or other property sought to be
appropriated are situated, as many qualified persons as may be necessary in
order to form a jury ((of twelve persons, unless the petitioner and
respondents both consent to a less number of jurors (such number to be not less
than three), and such consent is entered by the clerk in the minutes of such
hearing)). In any third class county or lesser classification, the costs
of such special jury for the trial of such condemnation cases only shall be
borne by the state.
Sec. 2. Section 5, chapter 213, Laws of 1955 and RCW 8.04.100 are each amended to read as follows:
At the time
of fixing the date for trial by jury in any case the court may, on application of
the petitioner, order that any one or more condemnation cases then pending
before the court and requiring determination by a jury of the compensation and
damages as aforesaid be consolidated and tried before one and the same jury but
with a separate award to be made in each case. If ((necessary, the sheriff,
under direction of)) a jury is required the court or judge thereof,
shall ((summon as many qualified persons as may be required to complete the
jury)) direct that a jury panel be selected and summoned pursuant to
chapter 2.36 RCW from citizens of the county where such lands, real estate,
premises or other property sought to be appropriated are situated.
Sec. 3. Section 51, chapter 153, Laws of 1907 and RCW 8.12.090 are each amended to read as follows:
In any
proceedings under this chapter wherein a trial by jury is provided for, the
jury may be waived as in other civil cases in courts of record in the manner
prescribed by law, and the matter may be heard and determined without the
intervention of a jury. Whenever an attempt is made to take private property,
for a use alleged to be public under authority of this chapter, the question
whether the contemplated use be really public shall be a judicial question and
shall be determined as such by the court before inquiry is had into the
question of compensation to be made. When a jury is required for the
determination of any matter under this chapter, ((such jury may)) the
judge may direct that a jury panel be ((the same jury)) selected
and summoned ((for the trial of ordinary civil actions before the court,
or the court may, in its discretion, issue a venire to the sheriff to summon as
jurors such number of qualified persons as the court shall deem sufficient))
pursuant to chapter 2.36 RCW. Except as herein otherwise provided, the
practice and procedure under this chapter in the superior court and in relation
to the taking of appeals and prosecution thereof, shall be the same as in other
civil actions, but all appeals must be taken within thirty days from the date
of rendition of the judgment appealed from. Proceedings under this chapter
shall have precedence of all cases in court except criminal cases.
Sec. 4. Section 6, chapter 111, Laws of 1903 as amended by section 6, page 373, Laws of 1909 and RCW 8.16.060 are each amended to read as follows:
The jury
impaneled to hear the evidence and determine the compensation to be paid to the
owner or owners of such real estate desired for such schoolhouse site purpose
shall ((consist of twelve persons unless a less number be agreed upon, and
shall)) be selected and summoned pursuant to chapter 2.36 RCW, and
impaneled and sworn in the same manner that juries in other civil actions are
((selected,)) impaneled and sworn, provided a juror may be challenged
for cause on the ground that ((he)) the juror is a taxpayer of
the district seeking the condemnation of any real estate.
Sec. 5. Section 12, chapter 117, Laws of 1895 and RCW 85.05.120 are each amended to read as follows:
Any or all
of said defendants may appear jointly or separately, and admit or deny the
allegations of said petition, and plead any affirmative matter in defense thereof,
at the time and place appointed for hearing said petition, or to which the same
may have been adjourned. If the court or judge thereof shall have satisfactory
proof that all of the defendants in said action have been duly served with said
summons, as above provided, and shall be further satisfied by competent proof
that said improvement is practicable, and conducive to the public health,
welfare and convenience, and will increase the value of said lands for the
purpose of public revenue, and that the contemplated use for which the land,
real estate, premises or other property sought to be appropriated is really a
public use, and that the land, real estate, premises or other property sought
to be appropriated are required and necessary for the establishment of said
improvement, the court or judge thereof shall cause a jury ((of twelve
qualified persons)) to be impaneled to assess the damages and benefits as
herein provided, if in attendance upon ((his)) the court; and if
not, ((he)) the judge may, if satisfied that the public interests
require the immediate construction of said improvement, direct ((the sheriff
of his county to summon)) that a jury panel be selected and summoned
pursuant to chapter 2.36 RCW from the citizens of the county in which said
petition is filed ((as many qualified persons as may be necessary in order))
to form a jury ((of twelve persons, unless the parties to the proceedings
consent to a less number, such number to be not less than three, and such
consent shall be entered by the clerk in the minutes of the trial. If
necessary to complete the jury in any case, the sheriff, under direction of the
court or judge thereof, shall summon as many qualified persons as may be
required to complete the jury from the citizens of the county in which the
petition is filed)). In case a special jury is summoned, the cost thereof
shall be taxed as part of the costs in the proceeding, and paid by the district
seeking to appropriate said land, the same as other costs in the case; and no
person shall be competent as a juror who is a resident of, or landowner in, the
district seeking to appropriate said land. The jurors at such trial shall make
in each case a separate assessment of damages which shall result to any person,
corporation or company, or to the state, by reason of the appropriation and use
of such land, real estate, premises or other property for said improvement, and
shall ascertain, determine and award the amount of damages to be paid to said
owner or owners, respectively, and to all tenants, incumbrancers and others
interested, for the taking or injuriously affecting such land, real estate,
premises or other property for the establishment of said improvement; and shall
further find the maximum amount of benefits, per acre, to be derived by each of
the landowners from the construction of said improvement. And upon a return of
the verdict into court, the same shall be recorded as in other cases; whereupon
a decree shall be entered in accordance with the verdict so rendered, setting
forth all the facts found by the jury, and decreeing that said right-of-way be
appropriated, and directing the commissioners of said diking district to draw
their warrant on the county treasurer for the amount awarded by the jury to
each person, for damages sustained by reason of the establishment of said
improvement, payable out of the funds of said diking district.
Sec. 6. Section 36.24.030, chapter 4, Laws of 1963 as amended by section 202, chapter 202, Laws of 1987 and RCW 36.24.030 are each amended to read as follows:
Every
person summoned as a juror who intentionally fails to appear ((without
having a reasonable excuse shall forfeit a sum not exceeding twenty dollars, to
be recovered by the coroner, in the name of the state, before any district
judge of the county)) as directed shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
The penalty when collected shall be paid over to the county treasurer for the
use of the county.