RULE 15
             COMMISSIONER OF THE SUPREME COURT


    (a) Appointment. To promote the effective administration
of justice, the Justices of the Supreme Court will appoint a
commissioner of the court. The salary of the commissioner
will be fixed by the court. The commissioner may be removed
at the pleasure of the Supreme Court.

    (b) Deciding Motions. The commissioner will hear and
decide those motions authorized by the Rules of Appellate
Procedure and any additional motions that may be assigned to
the commissioner by the court.  The commissioner will
determine whether to accept cases certified by the Court of
Appeals to the Supreme Court.

    (c) Screening for the Court. The commissioner will
screen petitions for review and direct appeals to the
Supreme Court and recommend whether Supreme Court review
should be granted. Except for motions to modify a ruling of
the commissioner, the commissioner will also screen motions
which are to be decided by the Justices and recommend to the
court an appropriate disposition for each motion. When
necessary, screening memoranda will contain an evaluation
sufficiently comprehensive to assist each Justice in
independently deciding the matter being screened.

    (d) Assisting Chief Justice. The commissioner will
assist the Chief Justice with motions to file amicus curiae briefs.

    (e) Judicial Law Clerks. The commissioner will present
an annual orientation for the new law clerks. The
commissioner will prepare and periodically revise a manual
for use by the judicial law clerks.

    (f) Improving Administration of Justice. The
commissioner will make recommendations to the court
regarding procedures. The commissioner will serve on court
committees when appointed thereto by the Chief Justice.

    (g) Central Staff. The commissioner will employ and
train staff attorneys and other personnel to assist the
commissioner in carrying out the duties of the
commissioner's office. These employees shall serve at the
pleasure of the commissioner. To the extent appropriations
permit, the court will authorize the commissioner to employ
sufficient staff to assist the court in expeditiously
fulfilling its duties to promptly fulfill the duties of the office.

    (h) Duties To Benefit Full Court. All duties performed
by the commissioner are for the benefit of the court as a
whole. The court may alter or add to the duties of the commissioner.

    (i) Qualifications. The commissioner must be a member in
good standing of the Washington State Bar Association and,
prior to appointment, have at least 5 years of experience in
the practice of law or in a judicially related field.

    (j) Oath of Office. Before entering upon the duties of
the office, the commissioner will take and file an oath of
office in the form prescribed by order of the Supreme Court.
The oath will include a requirement that the commissioner
adhere to the Code of Judicial Conduct.

    (k) Prohibition From Practice of Law. The commissioner
and the attorneys employed by the commissioner are
prohibited, during term of office, from acting as an attorney.

    (l) Deputies.  The commissioner may have one or more
deputies, to be appointed by the commissioner in writing, to
serve during the commissioner's pleasure.  The deputies
shall have the power to perform any act or duty relating to
the commissioner's office that the commissioner has, and the
commissioner is responsible for their conduct.


[Amended effective January 3, 2006.]