ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION
RCW 39.34.180 does not obligate a county to enter into a contract
with a city or town to handle, through the county's court system,
misdemeanor cases referred from the city or town's law
enforcement officers; however, once a county has agreed to enter
into such an agreement, the county must submit to binding
arbitration if no agreement is reached concerning the payments to
be made under the agreement.
The Honorable Mary Margaret Haugen
Senator, 10th Legislative District
P.O. Box 40482
Olympia, WA 98504-0482