HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2329

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to judgment descriptions.

Brief Description:  Changing descriptions in judgments involving real property.

Sponsors:  Representatives McDonald, Lantz and Constantine.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Judiciary:  1/18/00, 1/25/00 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  1/31/00, 97-0.

Passed Senate:  2/29/00, 47-0.

Passed Legislature.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Allows use of either an abbreviated legal description or the assessor's tax number in identifying real property on a judgment summary page.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Carrell, Republican Co-Chair; Constantine, Democratic Co-Chair; Hurst, Democratic Vice Chair; Lambert, Republican Vice Chair; Cox; Dickerson; Esser; Kastama; Lantz; Lovick; McDonald and Schindler.

Staff:  Bill Perry (786-7123).

Background:

When a judgment is entered in a court case, the clerk of the court is responsible for processing certain paperwork associated with the judgment.  Included in these responsibilities is entering the judgment in the court execution docket, which allows a record to be kept of the parties' compliance with the requirements of the judgment.  Each judgment for the payment of money must have a summary page that succinctly summarizes information about the judgment creditor and debtor, the amount of the judgment and any interest owed, and the total of costs and attorney fees owed.

In 1999, a bill was passed requiring that a judgment summary include specific information about real estate that is affected by the judgement.  If the judgment involves an award of any interest in real property, the summary page must include both an abbreviated legal description of the property and the assessor's tax parcel or account number.

Summary of Bill:

The description of real property on a judgment summary may be either an abbreviated legal description of the property or the assessor's tax parcel or account number.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The current law's requirement for using both methods of description sometimes means the requirement of a "succinct" summary on one page cannot be met.  Allowing use of one or the other method will help keep the judgment summary page a useful document.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Betty Gould, Washington Association of County Clerks; and Debbie Wilke, Washington Association of County Officials.