Title
AN ORDINANCE implementing the district court redistricting committee's amendment to the districting plan implementing provisions of RCW 3.34.010 to increase the number of judges from twenty-one to twenty-three; and amending Ordinance 8935, Section 4, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.68.070 and Ordinance 9427, Section 7, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.68.078.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The King County Code requires that the council convene the county's district court districting committee whenever there is a change in the number of judges.
2. Chapter 26, Laws of Washington 2009, amended RCW 3.34.010 to allow for the addition of two district court judges in 2009, increasing the number of authorized judges in King County from twenty-one to twenty-three.
3. State law requires that the county document the legislative authority's approval of the of the additional judges and agreement that the county will pay out of county funds, without reimbursement from the state, the expenses of such additional judicial position as provided by statute. The county's office of management and budget and the district court have informed the council that there are sufficient resources for the new judges in 2009 under existing appropriation authority.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Ordinance 8935, Section 4, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.68.070 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
A. There is created a single district court, whose boundaries are all the area within the boundaries of King County, including the centerline of Puget Sound and all of the current city of Bothell, as a joint district court district established under RCW 3.38.060 and named the district court of the state of Washington in and for the district of King County.
B. Effective ((January 1, 2007)) September 1, 2009, the number of judges of the King County district court is ((twenty-one)) twenty-three full-time judges.
C. The 2005 population of King County is one million eight hundred eight thousand three hundred.
D. The location of the central office of the King County district court is the King County Courthouse, Seattle, Washington.
E. There are eight court facilities within the unified district located as follows:
1. Southeast division: City of Kent (Aukeen and Regional Justice Center);
2. Southwest division: City of Burien with additional facilities in the vicinity of Vashon business district;
3. Northeast division:
a. City of Bellevue;
b. City of Issaquah; and
c. City of Redmond;
4. Shoreline division: City of Shoreline; and
5. West Division: City of Seattle.
F. The administrative records of the King County district court shall be maintained at the central office or in a location designated by the presiding judge. Court records shall be located at the respective court facilities or in a location designated by the presiding judge.
G. The number and location of district court commissioners shall be as authorized, together with such additional court commissioners as the district court may require.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 9427, Section 7, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.68.078 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
The number of judges to be elected in each of the electoral districts within the single King County district court shall be as follows:
((A. South 11
B. East 10
C. West 5))
A. Southeast 5;
B. Southwest 5;
C. Northeast 6;
D. Shoreline 2; and
E. West 5.