IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENTS TO ARLJ 5

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ORDER NO. 25700-A-686

The District and Municipal Court Judges' Association recommended the adoption of proposed amendments to ARLJ 5 and the Court considered the proposed amendments and comments submitted thereto. The Court has determined that the amendments will aid in the prompt and orderly administration of justice;

Now, therefore, it is hereby

ORDERED:

(a) That the proposed amendments to ARLJ 5 as attached hereto are adopted.

(b) That the amendments will be published in the Washington Reports and will become effective September 1, 2000.

DATED at Olympia, Washington this 12th day of June 2000.

Smith, J.
Johnson, J.	Alexander, J.
	Ireland, J.
Talmadge, J.	Bridge, J.

The Presiding Judge so elected shall send notice of the election of such Presiding Judge and Acting Presiding Judge to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on or before March 15 of each year. If the judges of a district shall fail or refuse to elect and certify to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court shall by appointment designate the Presiding Judge and Acting Presiding Judge.

In court districts or municipalities having only one judge, that judge shall be known as the "Presiding Judge". The name of the Presiding Judge shall be sent to the Chief Justice of the Supreme court on or before March 15 of each year.

(b) Duties and Authority. The duties and authority of the Presiding Judge, in addition to exercising general administrative supervision over the court shall include:

(1) Supervisioning of the business of the court in such a manner as to assure the expeditious and efficient handling of all cases and equal distribution of the work load among the judges;

(2) Assigning the judges to departments, if the court is departmentalized;

(3) Presiding at meetings of the judges of the district;

(4) Responsibility for dDeveloping and coordinating statistical and management information;

(5) Complete sSupervisioning of all court personnel relating to all matters except wages or benefits directly related to wages, and including hiring and termination decisions. The Presiding Judge shall have complete supervision and authority over working conditions of all court employees. The court administrator, or equivalent employee, is an employee of the court and shall report directly to the Presiding Judge;

(6) Assuming Rresonsibility for accounts and auditing, as well as procurement and disbursement of court funds. The Presiding Judge shall be responsible for the control and preparation of the court or judicial district's annual budget;

(7) In multiple judge jurisdictions, the Presiding Judge shall be guided in personnel and budgetary matters by the policies, if any, established by the judges on that bench;

(8) Promulgateing local rules as a majority of the judges may approve or as the Supreme Court may direct;

(9) Supervisioning the preparation and filing of reports as required by statute and court rule;

(10) Acting as the sole spokesperson for the court in all matters dealing with the executive or legislative branches of government;

(11) Assuming Oother duties as may be assigned by statute or court rule.

(c) Multiple Court Districts. In counties having multiple court districts, the judges may, by majority vote, elect to conduct the judicial business collectively under the provisions of this rule.

Reviser's note: The typographical errors in the above material occurred in the copy filed by the State Supreme Court and appear in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

Reviser's note: The spelling error in the above material occurred in the copy filed by the State Supreme Court and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.

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