H-1515.1                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1970

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Reams, Appelwick, G. Fisher, Anderson, Padden, Kessler, Foreman, Karahalios, Vance, Wolfe, Brough, Long, Miller, Wood, Horn, Cooke, Van Luven and Talcott

Read first time 02/19/93.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Notifying defendants in limited jurisdiction courts.

          AN ACT Relating to courts of limited jurisdiction; adding a new section to chapter 3.02 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that the ability of defendants in a court of limited jurisdiction to adequately prepare their defense requires that they be given, prior to any hearing, adequate notice of the essential facts upon which any claim against them is being made.  The legislature hereby intends to ensure that defendants receive sufficient notice of any charges being made against them.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 3.02 RCW to read as follows:

          Any notice required by law to a defendant from a court of limited jurisdiction as organized under Title 3, 35, or 35A RCW shall contain at a minimum the following information:

          (1) Date the alleged offense occurred;

          (2) Location at which the alleged offense occurred;

          (3) A statement of the charge against the defendant and the facts constituting the basis for the alleged offense;

          (4) Amount of any monetary claim being made against the defendant; and

          (5) Any penalties that may be imposed upon the defendant.

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