File #: 2025-0186    Version: 1
Type: Ordinance Status: To Be Introduced
File created: 7/1/2025 In control: Law and Justice Committee
On agenda: Final action:
Enactment date: Enactment #:
Title: AN ORDINANCE relating to the creation of housing court commissioner positions of the King County superior court.
Sponsors: Reagan Dunn
Indexes: Commissions, Housing, King County, Superior Court
Date Ver.Action ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsVideo
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Drafter

Clerk 06/24/2025

Title

AN ORDINANCE relating to the creation of housing court commissioner positions of the King County superior court.

Body

                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

                     SECTION 1.  Findings:

                     A.  Article IV, Section 23, of the Washington State Constitution authorizes the appointment of up to three court commissioners per county.  The court commissioners are appointed by the superior court and have the power to perform the duties of a superior court judge that do not require a trial by jury, and other duties provided by law to aid in the administration of justice.  All acts and proceedings of court commissioners are subject to revision by a superior court judge upon motion by a party.

                     B.  In addition to the constitutionally authorized commissioners, the Legislature has authorized superior courts to appoint additional commissioners to assist superior court judges in specific areas of the law.  These statutorily authorized commissioners include mental health commissioners, family law commissioners, and criminal commissioners, and are limited to the authority that they are expressly granted in statute.

                     C.  Chapter 268, Laws of Washington 2025, authorizes each county superior court to appoint new court commissioners to assist the superior court in disposing of its business related to unlawful detainer actions for residential tenancies covered by chapter 59.18 RCW and chapter 59.20 RCW.  The county legislative authority must approve the creation of housing court commissioner positions.

                     D.  A significant surge in unlawful detainer filings has contributed to delays in court proceedings and case resolutions, creating burdens for both landlords and tenants.  Creation of the housing court commissioner positions of the King County superior court will help address delays in court proceedings.

                     SECTION 2.  By this ordinance, the county legislative authority approves the creation of up to three housing court commissioner positions to assist the superior court

in disposing of its business related to unlawful detainer actions for residential tenancies covered by chapter 59.18 RCW and chapter 59.20 RCW.