Court commissioners — Appointment — Qualification — Limitations — Part-time judge.
RCW 3.50.075
in effect(1) One or more court commissioners may be appointed by a judge of the municipal court. (2) Each commissioner holds office at the pleasure of the appointing judge. (3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, a commissioner has such power, authority, and jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters as the appointing judges possess, and must be a lawyer who is admitted to practice law in the state of Washington or a nonlawyer who has passed, by January 1, 2003, the qualifying examination for lay judges for courts of limited jurisdiction under RCW 3.34.060 . (4) On or after July 1, 2010, when serving as a commissioner, the commissioner does not have authority to preside over trials in criminal matters, or jury trials in civil matters unless agreed to on the record by all parties. (5) A commissioner need not be a resident of the city or of the county in which the municipal court is created. When a court commissioner has not been appointed and the municipal court is presided over by a part-time appointed judge, the judge need not be a resident of the city or of the county in which the municipal court is created. (6) For purposes of this section, "appointing judge" includes a presiding judge pro tempore fulfilling presiding judge duties for a single judge court pursuant to RCW 3.50.090 (2).
(1) One or more court commissioners may be appointed by a judge of the municipal court.
(2) Each commissioner holds office at the pleasure of the appointing judge.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, a commissioner has such power, authority, and jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters as the appointing judges possess, and must be a lawyer who is admitted to practice law in the state of Washington or a nonlawyer who has passed, by January 1, 2003, the qualifying examination for lay judges for courts of limited jurisdiction under RCW 3.34.060 .
(4) On or after July 1, 2010, when serving as a commissioner, the commissioner does not have authority to preside over trials in criminal matters, or jury trials in civil matters unless agreed to on the record by all parties.
(5) A commissioner need not be a resident of the city or of the county in which the municipal court is created. When a court commissioner has not been appointed and the municipal court is presided over by a part-time appointed judge, the judge need not be a resident of the city or of the county in which the municipal court is created.
(6) For purposes of this section, "appointing judge" includes a presiding judge pro tempore fulfilling presiding judge duties for a single judge court pursuant to RCW 3.50.090 (2).
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=3.50&full=trueFetched: 6/28/2026