Concerning the establishment of liability standards for superior, district, and municipal court judges.

 H-1028.2

HOUSE BILL 1893

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Representatives Graham, Chase, Walsh, and Schmidt

Read first time 02/07/25. Referred to Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary.

AN ACT Relating to the establishment of liability standards for superior, district, and municipal court judges; amending RCW 4.92.070 , 4.92.075 , and 4.96.041 ; adding a new chapter to Title 7 RCW; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) Any person injured by an individual who was previously arrested for a violent offense, and subsequently released from custody before trial for such offense as a result of a superior, district, or municipal court judge declining to impose reasonable bail as a condition of release, has a cause of action against such judge if: (a) The individual caused the injury after being released from custody; and (b) the judge failed to adequately consider the risk of public harm that could result from the individual's release before trial.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "violent offense" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 .