HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1011

BYHouse Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Representatives P. King, S. Wilson and Scott)

Increasing the number of superior court judges to eleven.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (18)

      Signed by Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Brough, Hargrove, Inslee, P. King, Locke, R. Meyers, Moyer, H. Myers, Patrick, Schmidt, Scott, Tate, Van Luven and Wineberry.

House Staff:Bill Perry (786-7123)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Judiciary be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (24)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Dorn, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, May, Nealey, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Susan Nakagawa (786-7136)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 7, 1989

BACKGROUND:

By statute, the state legislature determines the number of superior court judges in each county.  (Smaller counties may share judges jointly.)  Currently, Snohomish County has nine superior court judges.

One half of the salary of a superior court judge is paid by the state, and the other half is paid by the county.  All other costs associated with a judicial position, such as capital and support staff costs, are borne by the county.

A statute requires counties to hire a stenographic court reporter for each superior court judge.

Periodically, the Office of the Administrator for the Courts conducts a "weighted caseload" study of the superior courts in the state to determine if more judges are needed in a particular county.

SUMMARY:

The number of superior court judges in Snohomish County is increased from nine to eleven.

The two new judicial positions are exempted from the court reporter hiring requirement.

In order for the new positions to become effective, Snohomish County must agree to pay the county's share of the expense of new positions.

One of the new positions takes effect July 1, 1990, and the other not later than June 30, 1991.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Judiciary)  Judge Robert C. Bibb, Snohomish County Superior Court.

(Appropriations)  Judge Robert C. Bibb, Snohomish County Superior Court.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Judiciary)  None Presented.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Judiciary)  Weighted caseload analysis indicates Snohomish County needs three and one-half additional judicial positions.

(Appropriations)  Weighted caseload analysis indicates Snohomish County needs three and one-half additional judicial positions.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Judiciary)  None Presented.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.