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Subjects › Public Safety › City and County Court Services
Updated 03/2012

City and County Court Services

Contents

Introduction

County and city governments are exploring options to avoid duplication of services and to maximize efficiency and economy for providing court services to their citizens. This page is intended to provide information related to local government court services, including interlocal contracting models. A few special court service programs are also highlighted. Some of the interlocal contracts provided as examples may not be the most current contract. Others appear to be older contracts, but have automatic renewal clauses. Our desire is to have the most current examples available. MRSC would appreciate receiving updated contracts when available from all jurisdicitions. If you have information to add to this page, please contact the page editor.

About Court Services

Each county, city, and town is responsible for the prosecution, adjudication, sentencing, and incarceration of misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor offenses committed by adults in their respective jurisdictions, and referred from their respective law enforcement agencies, whether filed under state law or city ordinance, and must carry out these responsibilities through the use of their own courts, staff, and facilities, or by entering into contracts or interlocal agreements under this chapter to provide these services. (RCW 39.34.180)

The courts administered by local governments include the county superior court (See description in New Commissioners Handbook) and the courts of limited jurisdiction: district courts; municipal departments in district courts (existing prior to July 1,1978) and municipal courts. (See description in Citizens Guide to Courts.)

For more information about courts:

Court Related Statutes

Court Reform

Interlocal Agreements for Court Services

Cities Contracting with Counties

  • Clallam County
    • Sequim and Clallam County Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) establishing district court filing fees for 2012, dated 02/28/2012
  • Grant County
    • Grand Coulee and Grant County Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) to provide Grand Coulee with jail and district court services, including probation, prosecution, and public defense; term is 01/1998-12/2008 - Funding is through the city's share of county-wide sales and use tax for criminal justice.
    • Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) between Grand Coulee and Grant County for the provision of court services within the municipal department of the district court; term 01/01/2004-12/31/2009 - Continues in force for subsequent years until terminated (Current as of 03/2012)
  • King County - The cities that contract for District Court services are: Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Burien, Carnation, Covington, Duvall, Kenmore, Redmond, Sammamish, Shoreline, Skykomish and Woodinville
  • Kittitas County
    • Ellensburg and Kittitas County Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) for municipal department in district court, dated 11/2003 - Provides automatic 1-year renewals
    • Kittitas and Kittitas County Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) for court services; effective 01/01/2009 - Continues until terminated
  • Othello and Adams County Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) for provision of prosecution, adjudication, indigent defense, sentencing, and incarceration services for misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor offenses, effective 01/01/2004 - Provides for annual review; contract continues until terminated
  • Stevens County
    • Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) between Stevens County and Kettle Falls for all services for processing, trial, adjudication and sentencing, of criminal cases and infractions arising in the city's jurisdiction; term 01/01/2012-12/31/2012
  • Walla Walla and Walla Walla County District Court Interlocal Agreement(Adobe Acrobat Document) for municipal court services; term is 2007-2015

Cities Contracting with Other Cities

  • RCW 3.50.815 - Provides that a city may meet the requirements of RCW 39.34.180 by entering into an interlocal agreement with the county in which the city is located or with one or more cities
  • In City of Medina v. Primm, 160 Wn.2d 430 (2007) - The Washington Supreme Court upheld the use of interlocal agreements to share municipal court facilities, and it determined that cities had the authority to enter into intercity agreements for the provision of court services outside the geographical limits of the contracting cities. In 2008 the statutes were amended to incorporate this decision.
  • The following cities are providing municipal court services for other cities: Auburn (Algona); Battle Ground (Ridgefield, La Center); Buckley (Carbonado); Enumclaw (Maple Valley); Kirkland (Clyde Hill, Yarrow Point, Medina, Hunts Point); Marysville (Lake Stevens, Arlington); Mercer Island (Newcastle); Napavine (Vader); Nooksack (Everson); Pateros (Brewster); Sunnyside (Mabton); Tenino (Rainier); and Wilkeson (South Prairie).

Contract Examples of Cities Contracting with Other Cities for Court Services

  • Des Moines and Normandy Park Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) - Des Moines provides municipal court services to Normandy Park; term 01/01/2009 to 12/31/2013.
  • Kirkland Interlocal Agreement () - Provides municipal court services to Clyde Hill, Yarrow Point, Medina, and Hunts Point; beginning 01/2000 for a term of 10 years; automatic renewal for 5 year periods.
  • Mercer Island and Newcastle Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) - Mercer Island provides court services to Newcastle; initial termination 12/31/2005, with annual renewals.
  • Issaquah and Snoqualmie Interlocal Agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document) - Issaquah provides court services to Snoqualmie; term ends 12/31/2009 may be renewed an additional two years.

Municipal Court Studies

Older court studies may be viewed in the MRSC Index under the heading Municipal Courts. These include Auburn (1996), Ellensburg (1996), Port Angeles (1996, 2000), Redmond (1999), and Yakima (1996)

Public Defense Services

Specialized Courts

Drug Courts

Youth Courts

Mental Health Courts

Veterans Court

Court Administration - Service Illustrations

Adjudication by Mail/Internet

Other Court Services

Probation Programs

See also Alternatives to Incarceration on MRSC page, Jail Services and Alternatives to Incarceration

Volunteer Programs