King County Superior Court, Washington
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The King County Superior Court resides in Washington. Click on the links below to learn more about the court's...
Jurisdiction
This court holds the following jurisdiction:[1][2]
| “ | The superior court shall have original jurisdiction in all cases in equity, and in all cases at law which involve the title or possession of real property, or the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, toll or municipal fine, and in all other cases in which the demand or the value of the property in controversy amounts to three hundred dollars, and in all criminal cases amounting to felony, and in all cases of misdemeanor not otherwise provided for by law; of actions of forcible entry and detainer; of proceedings in insolvency; of actions to prevent or abate a nuisance; of all matters of probate, of divorce and for annulment of marriage, and for such special cases and proceedings as are not otherwise provided for; and shall also have original jurisdiction in all cases and of all proceedings in which jurisdiction shall not have been by law vested exclusively in some other court, and shall have the power of naturalization and to issue papers therefor. Said courts and their judges shall have power to issue writs of mandamus, quo warranto, review, certiorari, prohibition and writs of habeas corpus on petition by or on behalf of any person in actual custody in their respective counties. Injunctions and writs of prohibition and of habeas corpus may be issued on legal holidays and nonjudicial days.[3] | ” |
| “ | The superior courts shall have such appellate jurisdiction in cases arising in courts of limited jurisdiction in their respective counties as may be prescribed by law.[3] | ” |
Judges
Elections
Washington is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Washington, click here.
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2025
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2024
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2023
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2022
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2021
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2020
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2019
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2017
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2016
- Washington judicial elections, 2015
- Washington judicial elections, 2014
- Washington judicial elections, 2013
- Washington judicial elections, 2012
- Washington judicial elections, 2010
Selection method
- See also: Judicial selection in the states
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The 186 judges of the superior court are selected in contested elections without reference to party affiliation and must run for re-election when their terms expire. Judges serve for four years.[4]
The chief judge of each court is selected by peer vote, though term lengths vary. The minimum term is one year, though a longer term length may be established by local rules.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on the superior court, a judge must be:[5][4]
- a resident and qualified voter of the state;
- admitted to practice law in the courts of record in Washington; and
- under the age of 75.*
*No judge is eligible to run for office after attaining the age of 75. If a sitting judge turns 75 while serving, he or she may continue serving until the end of that calendar year.[6]
Judicial elections in Washington
- See also: Washington judicial elections
Washington is one of 10 states that uses nonpartisan elections to select judges and does not use retention elections for subsequent terms. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
Primary election
Primaries are held only if more than two candidates file for a position. These contests are nonpartisan in nature.[7] The two candidates who receive the greatest number of votes in the primary advance to the general election. Until 2013, a candidate who won over 50 percent of the vote in the primary was then unopposed in the general election. But the law was amended in 2013. Since that amendment, the top two finishers in a judicial primary must advance to compete with each other in the general election.[8][9][10]
General election
In counties with a population greater than 100,000, if only one superior court candidate files for election for a judgeship, that candidate is automatically elected and the county does not hold a general election for the seat.[11] According to the 2010 census, the following counties had populations greater than 100,000:[12]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCWs > Title 2 > Chapter 2.08 > Section 2.08.010 Original jurisdiction.," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCWs > Title 2 > Chapter 2.08 > Section 2.08.020 Appellate jurisdiction.," accessed May 22, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Washington," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Pierce County, "Residency Requirements," accessed September 24, 2014
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Washington State Constitution," accessed September 24, 2014 (Scroll to Article IV)
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.52.220," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.36.170," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Washington Courts, "Judicial Election Information," July 13, 2012
- ↑ Washington Courts, "2013 Legislative Summary," accessed July 26, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Judicial Elections in Washington State," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Washington: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013," accessed July 24, 2014
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington
State courts:
Washington Supreme Court • Washington Court of Appeals • Washington Superior Court • Washington District Courts • Washington Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Washington • Washington judicial elections • Judicial selection in Washington
