Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1951 NO. 89 >

(1) When an incorporated city of less than 5,000 population joins a justice court district, the electors of the city then become electors of the justice court district, and thereafter only one justice of the peace shall be elected by all of the district electors to serve the entire districts.(2) The qualifications of a justice of the peace serving incorporated cities of less than 5,000 in population not becoming a part of a justice court district are the same as existed prior to the enactment of chapter 156, Laws of 1951.

AGO 1953 NO. 153 >

Effective January 10, 1955; (1) Incorporated cities under five thousand population must be contained within a justice court district, (2) the police justice of a fourth class town must be the district justice of the peace of the district containing such town, (3) the mayor of a third class city under five thousand may appoint as police judge the district justice of the peace of the district in which such city is contained, or he may appoint some other person to serve as police judge, as he sees fit.

AGO 1952 NO. 231 >

Our conclusion is that no appointment can be made now for a justice court district, although the committee may establish a district at this time.

AGO 1952 NO. 315 >

Where justice court districts are established justices will no longer be elected for individual precincts.  An entire county, including cities of less than 5,000 population, may be combined into one justice court district but such district may have only one justice.