Chapter 2.04
JUSTICE COURT DISTRICTING*
Sections:
2.04.010 Plan Contents – Prosecuting Attorney Authority.
2.04.015 Subcommittee to Conduct Study of Justice Court Operations and Requirements.
2.04.020 Court Commissioners – Appointed.
2.04.030 Court Commissioners – Compensation.
2.04.035 Court Commissioners – Number.
2.04.037 Additional Full-time District Judge.
2.04.045 Additional Authority.
2.04.046 Toppenish Added to County Justice Court System.
2.04.047 Tieton Added to County Justice Court System.
2.04.048 Mabton Added to County Justice Court System.
2.04.060 Deputy Clerk Authority.
2.04.065 Jurisdiction – Naches.
2.04.070 Jurisdiction – Union Gap.
2.04.080 Jurisdiction – Sunnyside.
2.04.090 Granger – Reentry to County Justice Court System.
2.04.100 Authority to Hear Cases in Yakima County Detention/Corrections Center.
* For statutory provisions regarding justice court districts and the duties of the justice court districting committee, see RCW 3.38.010 - 3.38.060; for provisions regarding adoption of the justice court districting plan, see RCW 3.38.030.
2.04.010 Plan contents – Prosecuting Attorney Authority.
A justice court districting committee shall become activated and meet at the call of the prosecuting attorney to prepare a plan for the districting of Yakima County into one or more justice court districts in accordance with the provisions of RCW 3.30 through 3.74, which plan shall include the following:
(1) The boundaries of each justice court district proposed to be established;
(2) The number of justices to be elected in each justice court district;
(3) The location of the central office, courtrooms and records of each court;
(4) The other places in the justice court district, if any, where the court shall sit;
(5) The number and location of justice court commissioners to be authorized, if any;
(6) The departments, if any, into which each justice court shall be initially organized, including municipal departments provided for in RCW 3.46;
(7) The name of each justice court district; and
(8) The allocation of the time and allocation of salary of each justice who will serve part time in a municipal department.
The prosecuting attorney of Yakima County is directed to take the action necessary to effectuate the calling of the justice court districting committee.
(Vol. 13 p. 672 (part), 1968).
2.04.015 Subcommittee to Conduct Study of Justice Court Operations and Requirements.
(1) A permanent subcommittee for the purpose of conducting an ongoing study of justice court operations and requirements shall be established. The subcommittee shall consist of the following: mayor of Yakima or representative; representative of the board of county commissioners; county auditor; prosecuting attorney or representative; attorney from the local bar association; and the mayor of Sunnyside or representative.
(2) This subcommittee shall be activated as of May 1, 1981.
(Res. 210-1981 §3, 1981; amendment L-C-L approved 4-27-76).*
* Editor’s Note: This amendment was derived from a letter from the prosecuting attorney’s office to the board of county commissioners dated May 12, 1976.
2.04.020 Court Commissioners – Appointed.
In the following towns court commissioners shall be authorized and may be appointed by the justices of the peace of the district: Naches, Wapato, Toppenish, Sunnyside and Grandview.
(Vol. 15 p. 261 §1, 1970: Vol. 14 p. 182 (part), 1969).
2.04.030 Court Commissioners – Compensation.
The court commissioners shall be paid such compensation as is determined by the board of Yakima County commissioners when the annual budget is fixed and determined.
(Vol. 15 p. 261 §2, 1970: Vol. 14 p. 182 (part), 1969).
2.04.035 Court Commissioners – Number.
A total of up to a maximum of fifteen court commissioners shall be authorized and each shall be an attorney at law.
(Res. 160-1987, 1987: Res. 200-1984, 1984: Res. 210-1981 §2, 1981; §2 of res. dated 4-24-73).
2.04.037 Additional Full-time District Judge.
An additional full-time district judge shall be appointed to take office January 1, 1977. It shall be this judge’s responsibility to handle all cases previously handled by the traveling judge. This judge should be a resident to the area he is to serve.
(Amendment L-C-L approved 4-27-76).*
* Editor’s Note: This amendment was derived from a letter from the prosecuting attorney’s office to the board of county commissioners dated March 12, 1976.
2.04.040 Authority.
The court shall be authorized to sit at the Yakima County Courthouse, the Yakima City Hall, and the courtroom located in the facilities of the Yakima Indian Nation just outside the city of Toppenish, for the purpose of arraignment of prisoners detained in the Yakima City Jail only. The justices of the peace shall be authorized to sit in the following towns in addition to the above locations at such times as the law requires and the presiding district court judge so indicates: Wapato, Toppenish, Sunnyside, Grandview, Granger and Naches.
(Res. 291-1979 §1, 1979; Res. 237-1975 (part), 1975; Res. 290-1974 (part), 1974; Vol. 15 p. 261 §3, 1970: Vol. 14 p. 182 (part), 1969).
2.04.045 Additional Authority.
The court is authorized to sit in the town of Union Gap.
(§1 of Res. dated 4-24-73).
2.04.046 Toppenish Added to County Justice Court System.
The city of Toppenish shall become a part of the Yakima County justice court system effective January 1, 1982.
(Res. 210-1981 §1, 1981).
2.04.047 Tieton Added to County Justice Court System.
The town of Tieton shall become a part of the Yakima County justice court system.
(Res. 131-1985, 1985).
2.04.048 Mabton Added to County Justice Court System.
The town of Mabton shall be included in the justice court system. Court shall be held in the Sunnyside court offices. The filing fee for cases with the town of Mabton shall be eighteen dollars, all conditions of this section to become effective July 1, 1983.
(Res. 162-1983 §1, 1983).
2.04.050 Location.
The central office of the justice court district and the permanent records for the justice court district shall be located and maintained at the Yakima County Courthouse. However, it shall be proper for the files of pending court cases to be kept at the courtsite nearest the point of infraction and the cases involving arrests by the Washington State Patrol may be heard at the courtsite nearest the location of the infraction.
The files and records for cases filed in the Yakima County district court clerk’s office located at Sunnyside, for violations of the laws of the state, this code and the Sunnyside Municipal Code, are to be permanently maintained at the Yakima County district court clerk’s office located at Sunnyside, Washington.
The files and records for cases filed in the Yakima County district court clerk’s office located at Toppenish, for violations of the laws of the state and this code, are to be permanently maintained at the Yakima County district court clerk’s office at Toppenish, Washington.
(Res. 290-1974 (part), 1974; Vol. 15 p. 261 §4, 1970: Vol. 14 p. 182 (part), 1969).
2.04.060 Deputy Clerk Authority.
At such time as court commissioners are appointed, they shall also be deputy clerks of the justice court.
(Vol. 15 p. 261 §5, 1970: Vol. 14 p. 182 (part), 1969).
2.04.065 Jurisdiction – Naches.
Effective January 1, 1972, all matters previously falling within the jurisdiction of the city police judge for the town of Naches under the Constitution and laws of the state of Washington, and the ordinances of the town of Naches, shall be under the jurisdiction of the Yakima County district justice court.
(Res. dated 4-30-71).
2.04.070 Jurisdiction – Union Gap.
Effective January 1, 1973, all matters theretofore falling within the jurisdiction of the city police judge under the Constitution and laws of the state of Washington and the ordinances of the town of Union Gap shall be under the jurisdiction of the Yakima County district justice court.
(Res. dated 4-21-72).
2.04.080 Jurisdiction – Sunnyside.
Effective January 1, 1974, all matters theretofore falling within the jurisdiction of the police judge for the city of Sunnyside under the Constitution and laws of the state of Washington and the ordinances of the city of Sunnyside shall be under the jurisdiction of the Yakima County district justice court.
(§3 of res. dated 4-24-73).
2.04.090 Granger – Reentry to County Justice Court System.
The board formally recognizes that the town of Granger reentered the court system on December 1, 1981, and a filing fee of eighteen dollars shall be established effective July 1, 1983.
(Res. 162-1983 §2, 1983).
2.04.100 Authority to Hear Cases in Yakima County Detention/Corrections Center.
The board authorizes the district court in Yakima to hear cases in the Yakima County Detention/Corrections Center.
(Res. 162-1983 §3, 1983).