Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1974 NO. 12 >

(1) In view of a recent ruling by the United States Supreme Court with respect to the constitutionality of filing fees in the case of indigent persons seeking to become candidates for public office, the requirements of RCW 29.18.050 are no longer constitutionally enforceable with respect to candidates for office in the state of Washington who wish to file for public office but who are unable to pay the filing fees prescribed by that statute. (2) The secretary of state has the authority under RCW 29.24.080 to adopt a rule or regulation requiring any candidate claiming to be unable to pay the fee required by RCW 29.18.050 for the particular office he is seeking to execute and file with his declaration of candidacy a supplemental affidavit attesting to that fact.

AGO 1963 NO. 14 >

(1) In criminal cases in which a filing fee is chargeable in justice courts under § 111, chapter 299, Laws of 1961, the fee is $4.00 notwithstanding the number of separate counts which may be contained in the complaint. (2) In those cases where (pursuant to § 111) no filing fee is to be assessed or collected other than as part of the fine or penalty imposed upon conviction, the four dollar filing fee is not to be assessed in addition to the ordinary fine for penalty imposed. (3) In those cases where (pursuant to § 111) no filing fee is to be assessed or collected other than as part of the fine or penalty imposed upon conviction, the court may suspend only that part of the fine or penalty imposed which is in excess of the nonsuspendable four dollar filing fee.

AGO 1994 NO. 15 >

1.  Current law requires county treasurers to remit to the state treasurer 46 percent of all superior court filing fees covered by RCW 36.18.020 before calculating any amounts due to the county or regional law library fund.  2.  After remitting the state's share of superior court filing fees to the state treasurer, county treasurers are required by RCW 27.24.070 to deposit an amount in the county or regional law library fund equal to $12 times the number of civil or probate fees paid in connection with the filing of a new matter.

AGO 1994 NO. 17 >

1.  RCW 36.18.020(5) sets the fee for filing a petition for modification of a dissolution decree at $20; this fee applies whether the petition is filed in the county where the original decree was entered or in another county.  2.  RCW 36.18.025 requires that the county and state treasuries split fees filed for modification of a dissolution decree, the county to receive 54 percent and the state to receive 46 percent.  3.  A fee collected by a superior court pursuant to section 1, chapter 189, Laws of 1994, for the filing of a petition for extension of judgment, is not a fee set in RCW 36.18.020 and therefore is not subject to the split between the county and the state.

AGLO 1974 NO. 72 >

The filing fee to be paid by candidates for election to the state legislature at the November, 1974, state general election for terms commencing in January, 1975, is $38.00.

AGO 1954 NO. 210 >

The schedule of fees to be charged by county clerks for filing pleadings in the proceeding under the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act corresponds with that required in other civil actions.

AGO 1952 NO. 221 >

(1) The action is a civil action.  (2) The petitioner is liable for filing fees.  (3) The court sets a time and place for a hearing after jurisdiction is acquired by the service of summons and a copy of the petition.

AGO 1952 NO. 224 >

1. County auditors shall charge fifty cents for filing release of chattel mortgage on conditional sale contract.  2. No additional charge shall be made for filing an assignment on the back of or attached to chattel mortgage or conditional sales contracts, but $1.00 shall be charged for separate assignments therefor.

AGO 1952 NO. 336 >

County auditors shall charge one dollar for filing or recording, or both, of real estate contracts, conditional in nature of one page or less and shall charge fifty cents for each additional page.  One dollar shall also be charged for filing or recording documents dealing with chattels but authority for said fees is found in separate paragraphs of RCW 36.18.010.