BOARD FOR JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION
BYLAWS

ARTICLE I
Purpose

The Board for Judicial Administration shall adopt policies and provide leadership for the administration of justice in Washington courts. Included in, but not limited to, that responsibility is: 1) establishing a judicial position on legislation; 2) providing direction to the Administrative Office of the Courts on legislative and other administrative matters affecting the administration of justice; 3) fostering the local administration of justice by improving communication within the judicial branch; and 4) providing leadership for the courts at large, enabling the judiciary to speak with one voice.

ARTICLE II
Membership

Membership in the Board for Judicial Administration shall consist of the Chief Justice and one other member of the Supreme Court, one member from each division of the Court of Appeals, five members from the Superior Court Judges’ Association, one of whom shall be the President; five members from the District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association, one of whom shall be the President. It shall also include as non-voting members two members of the Washington State Bar Association appointed by the Board of Governors; the Administrator for the Courts; and the Presiding Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, the President-elect judge of the Superior Court Judges’ Association and the President-elect judge of the District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association.

ARTICLE III
Officers and Representatives

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 elected by the Board and 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 IV
Duties of Officers

The Chief Justice Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board, performing the duties usually incident to such office, and shall be the official spokesperson for the Board. 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 V
Vacancies

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

ARTICLE VI
Committees

Standing committees as well as ad hoc committees and task forces of the Board for Judicial Administration shall be established by majority vote.

Each committee shall have such authority as the Board deems appropriate.

The Board for Judicial Administration will designate the chair of all standing, ad hoc, and task force committees created by the Board. Membership on all committees and task forces will reflect representation from all court levels. Committees shall report in writing to the Board for Judicial Administration as appropriate to their charge. The Chair of each standing committee shall be asked to attend one BJA meeting per year, at a minimum, to report on the committee’s work. The terms of standing committee members shall not exceed two years. The Board for Judicial Administration may reappoint members of standing committees to one additional term. The terms of ad hoc and task force committee members will have terms as determined by their charge.