Chapter 2.20
DISTRICT COURT

Sections:

2.20.010    Entire county is one district.

2.20.020    Name of district.

2.20.030    Judge defined – Number of judges – Compensation.

2.20.040    Location of the central office, courtrooms and records.

2.20.050    Other places where court may sit.

2.20.060    Appointment of administrator and commissioners – Number.

2.20.070    Presiding judge – Election – Term – Duties.

2.20.080    District court departments designated – Jurisdiction.

2.20.090    Municipal court of Bremerton – Established.

2.20.100    Municipal court of Bremerton – Jurisdiction – Judge appointment and compensation.

2.20.110    Small claims department established.

2.20.010 Entire county is one district.

The entire county of Kitsap shall be established as one court district.

(Ord. 35-C (1991) § 2 (part), 1991: Ord. 35-A (1982) § 1, 1982)

2.20.020 Name of district.

The court district shall be known as the “Kitsap County District Court.”

(Ord. 35-C (1991) § 2 (part), 1991: Ord. 35-A (1982) § 2, 1982)

2.20.030 Judge defined – Number of judges – Compensation.

(a)    There shall be four full-time Kitsap County district court judicial positions. The judges shall be elected from the county at large to serve the entire county.

(b)    Each district court judge shall receive an annual salary as provided by general law in equal, monthly installments.

(c)    The term “judge,” as used in this chapter, is interchangeable with “justice of the peace” as used in RCW Chapters 3.30 through 3.74.

(Ord. 35-D (1991) §§ 1 and 2, 1991: Ord. 35-B (1982) § 1, 1982: Ord. 35-A (1982) § 3, 1982)

2.20.040 Location of the central office, courtrooms and records.

(a)    The central office of the Kitsap County district court shall be located at the Kitsap County Courthouse in Port Orchard, Washington.

(b)    Courtrooms of the Kitsap County district court shall be located in Port Orchard, Washington, and may be located (i) within the boundaries of the North Kitsap School District, also known as Poulsbo, Washington, and (ii) within the boundaries of the Central Kitsap School District, also known as Silverdale, Washington.

(c)    The records of the Kitsap County district court shall be kept in such places as deemed appropriate in keeping with statutes and rules governing the court.

(Ord. 347 (2005) § 1, 2005: Ord. 35-D (1991) § 3, 1991: Ord. 35-C (1991) § 1, 1991: Ord. 35-B (1982) § 2, 1982: Ord. 35-A (1982) § 4, 1982)

2.20.050 Other places where court may sit.

The Kitsap County district court shall sit at Port Orchard, Washington, and at any other place in the county which the district court shall determine is necessary to best serve the public.

(Ord. 35-A (1982) § 5, 1982)

2.20.060 Appointment of administrator and commissioners – Number.

(a)    A district court administrator shall be appointed by the court to serve at the pleasure of the court. This position shall also be known as “clerk of the court.”

(b)    The district court is authorized to appoint one court commissioner who shall serve at the pleasure of the elected judges, and shall serve the entire county.

(Ord. 347 (2005) § 2, 2005: Ord. 35-A (1982) § 6, 1982)

2.20.070 Presiding judge – Election – Term – Duties.

(a)    The presiding judge shall be elected from among the judges of the district court to serve a term, not to exceed one year, as set by the judges of the district court.

(b)    Duties of the presiding judge shall conform with JAR 5(b).

(Ord. 35-A (1982) § 7, 1982)

2.20.080 District court departments designated – Jurisdiction.

(a)    The Kitsap County district court shall be divided into four departments, known as “Department No. 1,” “Department No. 2,” “Department No. 3,” and “Department No.4.” Each department shall have general jurisdiction over all matters brought in the district court. Further, each department may sit at any location in the county as authorized by this chapter.

(Ord. 347 (2005) § 3, 2005: Ord. 35-A (1982) § 8(a), 1982)

2.20.090 Municipal court of Bremerton – Established.

There shall be established a municipal court department to be designated as the “Municipal Court of Bremerton.”

(Ord. 35-A (1982) § 8(b), 1982)

2.20.100 Municipal court of Bremerton – Jurisdiction – Judge appointment and compensation.

(a)    The city of Bremerton shall appoint a full-time municipal court judge, in such manner as the city may determine.

(b)    The municipal court of Bremerton shall have exclusive jurisdiction of matters arising from ordinances of the city of Bremerton and jurisdiction of no other matters.

(c)    The salary of the Bremerton municipal court judge and all expenses of the Bremerton municipal court shall be paid entirely by the city of Bremerton.

(Ord. 35-B (1982) § 3, 1982: Ord. 35-A (1982) § 9, 1982)

2.20.110 Small claims department established.

There shall be established a small claims department pursuant to RCW 12.40.010.

(Ord. 35-A (1982) § 8(c), 1982)