Washington Courts: News and Information

Legislation Effective July 1 Increases Court Filing Fees

June 23, 2009

Several laws passed by the Washington State Legislature will increase court filing fees throughout Washington in July.  

Attached below is a summary of the new legislation. Please see the hyperlinked legislation for complete details.

 House Bill 2331            Chapter 462, Laws 2009      
 
Beginning July 26, 2000, this bill increases the surcharge for auditor document recording fees from $10 to $30 for the 2009-2011 and 2011-2013 biennia.
 
 Substitute House Bill 2362            Chapter 572, Laws 2009      
 
Imposes surcharges on court fees in superior, district and municipal courts for a two-year period beginning July 1, 2009. Surcharges of $10 on small claims filings, $20 on limited jurisdiction court filings, and $30 surcharges on appellate and superior court filings will be used to partially fund judicial branch functions.
 
Senate Bill 5277                             Chapter 372, Laws 2009      
 
Beginning July 26, district and municipal courts may charge the following fees for court services, at their discretion:
·       Preparing a certified copy of an instrument on file or of record in the clerk's office: $5 for the first page or a portion of the first page and $1 for each additional page.
·       Authenticating or exemplifying an instrument: $2 for each additional seal affixed.
·       Preparing a copy of an instrument on file or of record without a seal: 50 cents per page.
·       Copying a document without a seal or that is in an electronic format: 25 cents per page.
·       Copies made on a CD: $20 per CD.
·       Receiving faxed documents authorized by court rules: up to $3 for the first page and $1 for each additional page.
·       Services such as processing ex parte orders, performing historical searches, compiling statistical reports, and conducting exceptional record searches: up to $20 per hour or portion of an hour.
 

Engrossed Senate Bill 5013           Chapter 417, Laws 2009      

         Beginning July 26, increases the following fees for superior court clerk services:
·       Issuance of a certificate of qualification and certified copies of letters of administration, testamentary or guardianship is raised from $2 to $5.
·       For processing ex parte orders, a flat fee of $30 will be charged instead of an hourly fee.
·       Performing historical searches, compiling statistical reports, and conducting exceptional searches, is raised from a maximum of $20 to a maximum of $30 per hour.
·       For receipt of the first page of a faxed document the fee is raised from $3 to $5.
·       The statute permitting the assessment that county clerks collect for LFOs is moved to the same section as other clerk’s service fees and is set at $100 per year.
 

 

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