S-58 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL NO. 5001
_______________________________________________
C 322 L 87
State of Washington 50th Legislature 1987 Regular Session
By Senators Talmadge and Halsan
Prefiled with Secretary of the Senate 12/9/86. Read first time 1/12/87 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.
AN ACT Relating to the judicial council; amending RCW 2.52.010, 2.52.030, and 2.52.050; adding a new section to chapter 2.52 RCW; and repealing RCW 2.52.060, 2.52.070, and 2.52.080.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. Section 1, chapter 45, Laws of 1925 ex. sess. as last amended by section 1, chapter 112, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. and RCW 2.52.010 are each amended to read as follows:
There is hereby established a judicial council which shall consist of the following:
(1) The
chief justice ((and one other justice)) of the supreme court((, to be
selected and appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court));
(2) ((Two))
One judge((s)) of the court of appeals, to be selected and
appointed by the three chief judges of the three divisions thereof;
(3) ((Two))
One judge((s)) of the superior court, to be selected and
appointed by the superior court judges' association;
(4) ((Four))
Two members of the state senate((, no more than two of whom)) who
shall not be members of the same political party, one of whom will be
the chairman of the senate judiciary committee((, two to be designated by
the chairman, and one to be designated by the chief justice of the state
supreme court; four)); two members of the state house of
representatives((, no more than two of whom)) who shall not
be members of the same political party, one of whom shall be the chairman of
the house judiciary committee((, two to be designated by the chairman, and
one to be designated by the chief justice of the state supreme court; unless
the house judiciary committee is organized into two sections, in which case
the chairman of each section shall be a member, and they shall designate the
third house member, and the chief justice shall designate the fourth house
member;
(5) The dean
of each recognized school of law within this state));
(((6)
Eight)) (5) Four members of the bar who are practicing law, one of
whom shall be either a public defender or a legal services attorney, and at
least one of whom is a prosecuting attorney, with the public defender or legal
services attorney ((and three others to be appointed by the chief justice of
the supreme court with the advice and consent of the other judges of the court)),
and ((four)) two to be appointed by the board of governors of the
Washington state bar association from a list of nominees submitted by the
legislative committee of the Washington state bar association;
(((7)
The attorney general;
(8) Two)) (6) One judge((s)) from the courts of
limited jurisdiction chosen by the Washington state magistrates' association;
and
(((9) A))
(7) One county clerk to be selected and appointed by the Washington
state association of county clerks.
Sec. 2. Section 3, chapter 45, Laws of 1925 ex. sess. and RCW 2.52.030 are each amended to read as follows:
The chief
justice shall be chairman of the council, and one of the other members may be
appointed by the council to be executive secretary. ((The state law
librarian shall be recording secretary, and he shall keep in his office records
of the proceedings and acts of the council.)) The council may make rules
for its procedure and the conduct of its business, and may employ such clerical
assistants and procure such office supplies as shall be necessary in the
performance of its duties.
Sec. 3. Section 1, chapter 260, Laws of 1981 and RCW 2.52.050 are each amended to read as follows:
It shall be the duty of the council:
(1) ((Continuously
to survey and study the operation of the judicial department of the state, the
volume and condition of business in the courts, whether of record or not, the
methods of procedure therein, the work accomplished, and the character of the
results;
(2) To
receive and consider suggestions from judges, public officers, members of the
bar, and citizens as to remedies for faults in the administration of justice;
(3) To
devise ways of simplifying judicial procedure, expediting the transaction of
judicial business, and correcting faults in the administration of justice;
(4))) To receive recommendations from justices, judges,
public officials, lawyers, and the public to amend current law;
(2) To consider such recommendations, and to examine the common law and statutes of the state and judicial decisions, and propose changes in current law;
(3) To submit from time to time to the courts or the judges such suggestions as it may deem advisable for changes in rules, procedure, or methods of administration;
(((5)))
(4) To report ((annually)) as may be necessary to the
governor and the legislature with the council's recommendations as to needed
changes in the organization of the judicial department or the courts or in
judicial procedure; and
(((6)))
(5) To assist the judges in giving effect to Art. 4, Section 25 of the
state Constitution.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 2.52 RCW to read as follows:
The administrator for the courts shall make available to the council such staff as necessary to carry out the work of the council.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
(1) Section 6, chapter 45, Laws of 1925 ex. sess. and RCW 2.52.060;
(2) Section 7, chapter 45, Laws of 1925 ex. sess. and RCW 2.52.070; and
(3) Section 8, chapter 45, Laws of 1925 ex. sess., section 5, chapter 34, Laws of 1975-'76 2nd ex. sess. and RCW 2.52.080.