BOARD FOR JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION
BYLAWS

ARTICLE I: Purpose

The Board for Judicial Administration (BJA) shall adopt policies and provide leadership for the administration of justice in Washington courts. Included in, but not limited to, that responsibility is:

1. improving the quality of justice in Washington by fostering excellence in the courts through effective education;
2. developing proactive legislation and advising and recommending positions on legislation of interest;
3. facilitating and managing a process of engagement within the judicial branch to identify priority policy issues and to develop strategies to address those issues;
4. coordinating efforts to achieve adequate, stable and long-term funding of Washington's courts to provide fair and equitable justice throughout the state;
5. reviewing and making recommendations, including prioritization, regarding proposed budget requests routed through the BJA.

ARTICLE II: Membership

The Board for Judicial Administration shall consist of judges from all levels of court and other key stakeholders as outlined in the Court Rules.

ARTICLE III: Terms of Office

The Chief Justice, the Association President Judges, the Washington State Bar Association President and Executive Director, and the Administrator for the Courts shall serve during their tenure. All other members serve four-year terms unless their governing body specifies otherwise and their terms are renewable for one additional four-year term.

ARTICLE IV: Vacancies

If a vacancy occurs in any representative position, the bylaws of the governing group shall determine how the vacancy will be filled.

ARTICLE V: Chairs

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall chair the Board for Judicial Administration in conjunction with a Member chair. The Member chair shall be nominated by the Chief Justice Chair and confirmed by the Board. The member chair shall serve a two-year term. The Member chair position shall be filled alternately between a voting Board member who is a superior court judge and a voting Board member who is either a district or municipal court judge.

ARTICLE VI: Duties of Chairs

The Chief Justice Chair shall be the official spokesperson for the Board. The Chief Justice Chair and Member Co-Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board, performing the duties usually incident to such office. The Chief Justice chair and the Member chair shall nominate for the Board’s approval the chairs of all committees. The Member chair shall perform the duties of the Chief Justice chair in the absence or incapacity of the Chief Justice chair.

ARTICLE VII: Committees

1. Standing Committees are identified in BJAR 3(b). Any change to standing committees must be approved by a majority vote.


2. The BJA, by majority vote, can establish ad hoc committees or task forces. Ad hoc committees or task forces will be guided by a BJA approved charter for a duration of 2 years, subject to renewal or revision by a majority of the BJA. The Chief Justice chair and the Member chair shall nominate committee and task force chairs for the Board's approval. Membership on all committees and task forces will reflect representation from all court levels as outlined in their charter. Membership may also include anyone working in the judicial system or anyone from the public.


3. Committees and task forces shall report in writing to the Board for Judicial Administration as appropriate to their charter.


4. The terms of committee and task force members will be determined by their charter.

ARTICLE VIII: Executive Committee

There shall be an Executive Committee composed of Board for Judicial Administration members, and consisting of the co-chairs, a judge from the Court of Appeals selected by and from the Court of Appeals members of the Board, the President Judge of the Superior Court Judges' Association, and the President Judge of the District and Municipal Court Judges' Association, and non-voting members to include one Washington State Bar Association representative selected by the Chief Justice, President-elect judge of the Superior Court Judges' Association, President-elect judge of the District and Municipal Court Judges' Association and the Administrator for the Courts.

It is the purpose of this committee to consider and take action on emergency matters arising between Board meetings, subject to ratification of the Board. During legislative sessions, the Executive Committee is authorized to conduct remote meetings for the purpose of reviewing legislative positions.

ARTICLE IX: Regular Meetings

There shall be regularly scheduled meetings of the Board for Judicial Administration. A meeting schedule will be approved by the Board annually. Reasonable notice of meetings shall be given to each member. Any Board member may submit items for the meeting agenda.

ARTICLE X: Executive Sessions

Executive sessions may be held upon majority vote to discuss matters deemed confidential. A motion to enter executive session shall set forth the purpose of the executive session, which shall be included in the minutes.

ARTICLE XI: Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by any member of the Board. Reasonable notice of special meetings shall be given to each member.

ARTICLE XII: Quorum

Eight voting members of the Board shall constitute a quorum provided each court level is represented.

ARTICLE XIII: Voting

Each judicial member of the Board for Judicial Administration shall have one vote. All decisions of the Board shall be made by majority vote of those present and provided there is at least one affirmative vote from each level of court. Remote attendance shall be permitted. A voting member may designate a non-voting BJA member from the same level of court to cast a vote by proxy in their absence.

ARTICLE XIV: Amendments and Repeal of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended or modified at any regular or special meeting of the Board, at which a quorum is present and by majority vote, provided there is at least one affirmative vote from each level of court. No motion or resolution for amendment of bylaws may be considered at the meeting in which they are proposed.

Approved for Circulation--7/27/87
Amended 1/21/00
Amended 9/13/00
Amended 5/17/02
Amended 5/16/03
Amended 10/21/05
Amended 03/16/07
Amended 10/18/19
Amended 10/24/19
Amended 11/18/2022