FILING FEES:
Civil Filing Fee $43.00
Writ of Garnishment $12.00
Transcript Fee $20.00
Name Change Fee $43.00
Name Change Auditor’s Fee $32.00
Small Claims Filing Fee $14.00
CIVIL JURISDICTION: RCW 3.66.020
If the value of the claim or the amount at issue does not exceed $50,000, exclusive of interest, costs, and attorneys’ fees, the District Court shall have jurisdiction and cognizance of the following civil actions and proceedings:
1. Actions arising on contract for the recovery of money;
2. Actions for damages for injuries to the person, or for taking or detaining personal property, or for injuring personal property, or for an injury to real property when no issue raised by the answer involves the plaintiff’s title to or possession of the same and actions to recover the possession of personal property;
3. Action for a penalty;
4. Actions upon a bond conditioned for the payment of money, when the amount claimed does not exceed $50,000, though the penalty of the bond exceeds that sum, the judgment to be given for the sum actually due, not exceeding the amount claimed in the complaint;
5. Actions on an undertaking or surety bond taken by the court;
6. Actions for damages for fraud in the sale, purchase, or exchange of personal property;
7. Proceedings to take and enter judgment on confession of a defendant;
8. Proceedings to issue writs of attachment, garnishment and replevin upon goods, chattels, money, and effects; and
9. All other actions and proceedings of which jurisdiction is specially conferred by statute, when the title to, or right to possession of real property is not involved.
10. Actions arising under the provisions of Chapter: RCW 19.190.
RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL JURISDICTION: RCW 3.66.030
1. Actions involving title to real property;
2. Actions for the foreclosure of a mortgage or enforcement of a lien on real estate;
3. Actions for false imprisonment, libel, slander, malicious prosecution, criminal conversation, or seduction; and
4. Actions against an executor or administrator as such.
ATTORNEY FEES
Refer to Local Rules.
SMALL CLAIMS JURISDICTION
The small claims department has jurisdiction over civil actions seeking the recovery of money only if the amount claimed does not exceed $4,000. RCW 12.40.010. A plaintiff who allegedly has suffered damages in excess of this amount nonetheless may file in small claims court, but by doing so he or she waives the right to recover anything in excess of the small claims department’s jurisdiction.
The small claims department’s jurisdiction is not exclusive. RCW 12.40.010. Such an action also may be brought in district court or even in superior court, although the case then would be handled according to the more complex and formal procedures which govern civil actions in those courts.
SERVICE
When required. Except as otherwise provided in these rules every order required by its terms to be served, every pleading subsequent to the original complaint unless the court otherwise orders because of numerous defendants, every paper relating to discovery required to be served upon a party unless the court otherwise orders, every written motion other than one which may be heard ex parte, and every written notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, designation of record on appeal, and similar paper shall be served upon each of the parties. No service need be made on parties in default for failure to appear except that pleadings asserting new or additional claims for relief against them shall be served upon them in the manner provided for service of summons in rule 4. in an action begun by seizure of property, in which no person need be or is named as defendant, any service required to be made prior to the filing of an answer claim, or appearance shall be made upon the person having custody or possession of the property at the time of its seizure.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CIVIL/SMALL CLAIMS REFER TO WASHINGTON COURTS OR COLUMBIA COUNTY LOCAL RULES